The Soulmate: A Novel

Gabe is Pippa’s husband. He is viewed mainly through the perspective of Pippa’s narrative and occasionally through Amanda’s. Pippa’s narrative shows him to be an unpredictable partner to her, although the novel uses dramatic irony to make the reader understand this before Pippa perceives it herself. Gabe’s main role in the novel is as a disruptive agent: It is around him that the thriller suspense plot revolves, as well as the novel’s exploration of personality disorders and mental health conditions. As such, he provides much of the narrative function of an antagonist, although his character is ostensibly in support of Pippa’s protagonist. This realization—for Pippa and the reader—creates the major part of the novel’s drama and denouement and is a typical device of the domestic thriller genre.

Gabe is charismatic and often enthusiastic, but his enthusiasm comes at the expense of emotional stability. Pippa shares that “in the first year of [their] marriage, Gabe had five jobs” (61). He approaches each one with single-minded focus and enthusiasm but is quick to switch when something else catches his attention. Gabe eventually finds stability in his job with Max’s media firm and proves to be adept at persuading investors to commit to the company.

Pippa sees Gabe as a “hero” but also recognizes the uncertainty in his actions, commenting that he is compelled to “run toward danger” and that he has a fragile personality (10). While she is first attracted to his charisma and enthusiasm, she also eventually realizes that he is “all or nothing” (54). Early on in the novel, Pippa reveals that she sees herself as the protector of Gabe’s mental health and happiness.

The main shift in Gabe’s character centers on the diagnosis of his bipolar disorder, and his character is an exploration of the ways in which mental health conditions affect individuals and relationships. Gabe has been undiagnosed throughout his life and goes through a misdiagnosis of ADHD before his doctor settles on a diagnosis and a plan of treatment. The novel uses this misdiagnosis as a means to contextualize much of Gabe’s unsafe behavior. However, Hepworth’s treatment of Gabe’s character explores the complex relationship between mental health conditions and personal responsibility. In the protagonist’s voice, the novel says, “His illness hadn’t lied to me. His illness hadn’t covered up his mistakes and said that it was for my sake. That was all Gabe” (321). The novel is careful to show Gabe holistically, demonstrating that he is not defined by his condition. As well as making many personal mistakes, he has many good and generous qualities, not least saving others in distress from The Drop. The revelation of Gabe’s parentage underlines the hereditary nature of many personality disorders, deepening the novel’s subtle consideration of judgments and responsibilities around mental health. The amicable ending suggests that Gabe and Pippa have moved into a healthier form of relationship with themselves and each other.

Amanda provides the novel’s second narrative voice. Her narrative provides a counterpoint to Pippa’s, which is vital in challenging aspects of Pippa’s narrative and in raising clues and plot points for the novel’s main mystery. Amanda personifies this mystery because her voice is a posthumous narrative after her death—whether an accident or murder by Gabe.

Amanda is Max Cameron’s wife, and Max is Gabe’s boss. With Amanda, Hepworth gives the reader another perspective on what’s happening in the present timeline, but she also gives more information about the past timeline, information that Pippa doesn’t have—the other side of the story.

The narrative shows that Amanda’s approach to her life has been shaped by her parents’ relationship. As a child, she watched the way her father took advantage of her mother’s love, becoming violent and cheating on her repeatedly. Amanda’s view of love is shaped by this relationship, especially her fear of vulnerability and possessiveness. Amanda has decided never to be vulnerable to a man in that way and marries Max because he is a “good choice.” She asks only that Max will be faithful to her.

Amanda’s character arc involves not just falling in love but admitting it. She met Max 30 years before the start of the novel, when she was serving tables at one of his parents’ events. The difference in class between Max, who comes from wealth, and Amanda, who does not, is something that always strikes her—as Max becomes more successful, she notes how their wealth increases. This class difference proves to be another barrier, in her mind, that keeps her from confessing her love. Over their years together, she comes to love Max, but she never tells him. Ostensibly, this is because it violates their agreement, but it becomes clear over the course of the novel that it is because she fears being that vulnerable, still an echo of her reaction to her mother’s devotion to her father. However, this also means that she never learns, until after death, that Max loves her too.

Amanda also acts as a foil for Pippa—unlike Pippa, who gives her whole identity over to her marriage and Gabe, Amanda approaches marriage as an arrangement, exchange, and partnership. When she decides that Max is a “good choice,” she sets out to fulfill what he needs. In many ways, Amanda and Max’s relationship is also a foil for Pippa and Gabe’s marriage—over the years, they become completely honest with each other, contrasting with Pippa and Gabe, who are loyal but not always honest with each other.

Max is Amanda’s husband and Gabe’s boss. Unbeknownst to Gabe, he is also Gabe’s uncle. Both Pippa’s and Amanda’s narratives show Max to be a successful and charismatic man who has added personal success to family privilege. Max’s apparent success is only one side of his character, however: Both Max’s brother and his mother died by suicide, and this experience has shaped Max’s life, from his investment in a suicide prevention foundation to his desire to help Gabe. Max’s own death by suicide is an ironic twist in the novel, driving its exploration of love versus personal success as a route for happiness.

Amanda tells the reader that Max is a “gentleman” but also says that people tend to underestimate him, as “he’s as ruthless as the next guy—with one different: No one ever sees him coming” (149). Throughout the novel, Max is revealed to be someone who can be ruthless when it comes to business; however, with the people he loves, Max is willing to sacrifice everything. With Amanda, he keeps his love to himself, knowing that she is afraid of the vulnerability that a different type of relationship would engender. He tries to help Gabe as he couldn’t help Harry, thinking, “[I]f I offered him a career, gave him a sense of purpose, it would help” (313). With Gabe, who is his brother Harry’s child, he is willing to take the blame for Gabe’s murder of Arthur Sprigg before dying by suicide, framing his death as self-sacrifice. Max is therefore shown to be the hero of the novel, and his sacrifice is rewarded by Amanda’s voice explaining that they will now be reunited in death.