A Ruin of Roses

A Ruin of Roses explores the relationship between suffering and resilience on both a personal and societal level. In the early days of the curse, many people in the village died of illness, and demons constantly attacked the village. Finley’s resilience amid this crisis made her an asset to her community and gave her a sense of purpose that kept despair at bay. Her aptitude for combat allowed her to protect her village, and her skill with the everlass allowed her to mitigate the curse’s sickness. As a result of Finley’s resilience, the villagers also developed resilience to the curse’s effects, showing how seeking solutions in times of strife allows them to thrive. By contrast, Hadriel and other castle denizens are protected from the curse’s most acute violence. Since the castle denizens were frozen in time, spared the illness, and offered pleasurable experiences with the demons, they were not forced to develop resilience like the villagers. Though they seem to be living better lives than the villagers at first, Finley observes in Chapter 5 that Hadriel hates himself for giving into the demons: “[I]n a way [those in the castle] were living a life of luxury, but the curse hadn’t spared them” (107).