Unmissing

Lydia is the novel’s protagonist, a resilient and determined survivor whose return after a decade of captivity drives the narrative. As a round and dynamic character, Lydia subverts the stereotype of a traumatized victim by becoming an agent of retribution. Her journey is central to the theme of Redefining Victimhood and Agency, as she employs morally ambiguous methods to reclaim the life that was stolen from her. When she first reappears, she is physically and emotionally scarred, a “sunken-eyed, cadaverous figure” (5) whose initial meekness belies a fierce will to survive. This resolve was forged during her nine-year captivity that included weekly rape and torture by her captor—revealed to be her husband Luca Coletto. During this period, she learned that showing emotion was dangerous. Lydia’s suppression of feeling as a survival mechanism defines her interactions upon her return, making her appear emotionless as she begins to enact her plan for justice.

Lydia’s quest for justice is solitary. She does not seek help from the authorities, believing the system that declared her legally dead will fail her again. Instead, she takes matters into her own hands, using extortion and psychological manipulation to destabilize the life that Luca built in her absence.