Yeah, my questions' big idea was twofold: What did she want to do with the character, and why did she use these or those means to do so. So, she wanted an ambiguos character with sinister looks, and what's easier to use than generic Byronic-gothic phenotype? But. Didn't she realise that while she does her best to play it down and show the low side of it (which is hard to find in gothic heroes' appearance, I'm afraid), the archetype itself overthrows the author's perception? It's a matrix, and our subconscious reacts by itself, dodging all her laborous attempts to downgrade the character. Poor, poor author. (distan)