>>195835
I hate Peter a little more every time I reread it, but I've never had this much of a visceral reaction to him. But, consider this question: Would Margaux's life had been better or worse without Peter in it? In Margaux's own words, she would have become a runaway or committed suicide without him. He cared for her and gave her a place to be away from her father, he fostered her interest in storytelling, without which, she might not have become an author or gone to university. A child needs to grow up knowing that they're loved, if they don't have that, the worst happens. That's why studies show verbal abuse actually has worse outcomes than physical and sexual abuse. You can be hurt, and you'll heal, you can be touched, and you'll move on, but a parent verbally abusing you is venom to your self esteem and will destroy you forever. I think Peter, as imperfect as he was, was the only antidote to that venom. Her mother was far too absent (whether literally, in the hospital, or just mentally) to be that for her. That's why she never repudiates her love for Peter, even though he was, unquestionably, abusing her.

And again, that's why I love this book. It forces you to confront the nuance and complexity of real life. No one is completely good and no one is completely bad.