They're both traumatized, but while Maxi is being clear-headed and she's seeing how what both of them are doing and the way their relationship is working as if now is toxic, Riftan is more concerned about emotionally manipulating and blackmailing her.
It absolutely does make sense for his character and I do think he's compelling, writing-wise. However, on a personal scale of sympathy, he's dead last to me. I find him unbearable, sorry.
This man has not spent a single moment of his time confronting his wife's identity, head on. He lives in a fantasy that he has built around himself and her (as seen in his POV, which doesn't speak for his character as people like to say. It just makes him look desperate, delusional and deranged) and denies her of her personhood, over and over again.
Maxi has tons of trauma to still work through and many many adults. However, I feel like she actively confronts them and when met with resistance to her decisions or words, she goes back and analyzes her behavior. She has grown TREMENDOUSLY if you compare her to the beginning of the story. She has meaningful relationships with the people around her.
Now, I understand that the main story is told from her perspective but all that we see of Riftan regardless of that is just plain disrespect towards anyone and everyone around him. Again, I understand that he has a certain image of Maxi and that dangerous things have happened to her. He is rightfully worried and the idea of her leaving for three years IS scary.
But instead of sharing his doubts or fears with her, he basically tells her that he'll forget her if she goes and that he won't wait. He pushes every bit of insecurity onto her and says that he's been restless since he has fallen for her (a good chunk of time of which most passed by way before Maxi actively knew him). HE is responsible for making Ruth make him see Maxi in his dreams. HE is responsible for the toxic feelings he's feeling and HE is responsible for how he deals with them.
Riftan doesn't act in Maxi's interest 99% of the time and the one time he does, it's because overarchingly, it's in HIS interest (like when he keeps her safe from danger). It's like he doesn't want to accept that she's her own person. I do not believe, for a single second, that he truly loves her at this point. He's in love with the person he made up inside his mind and it is incredibly frustrating to witness. He doesn't want her to grow, he doesn't want her to be less dependent on him, he doesn't want her free.
They're both traumatized, but while Maxi is being clear-headed and she's seeing how what both of them are doing and the way their relationship is working as if now is toxic, Riftan is more concerned about emotionally manipulating and blackmailing her.
It absolutely does make sense for his character and I do think he's compelling, writing-wise. However, on a personal scale of sympathy, he's dead last to me. I find him unbearable, sorry.
This man has not spent a single moment of his time confronting his wife's identity, head on. He lives in a fantasy that he has built around himself and her (as seen in his POV, which doesn't speak for his character as people like to say. It just makes him look desperate, delusional and deranged) and denies her of her personhood, over and over again.
Maxi has tons of trauma to still work through and many many adults. However, I feel like she actively confronts them and when met with resistance to her decisions or words, she goes back and analyzes her behavior. She has grown TREMENDOUSLY if you compare her to the beginning of the story. She has meaningful relationships with the people around her.
Now, I understand that the main story is told from her perspective but all that we see of Riftan regardless of that is just plain disrespect towards anyone and everyone around him. Again, I understand that he has a certain image of Maxi and that dangerous things have happened to her. He is rightfully worried and the idea of her leaving for three years IS scary.
But instead of sharing his doubts or fears with her, he basically tells her that he'll forget her if she goes and that he won't wait. He pushes every bit of insecurity onto her and says that he's been restless since he has fallen for her (a good chunk of time of which most passed by way before Maxi actively knew him). HE is responsible for making Ruth make him see Maxi in his dreams. HE is responsible for the toxic feelings he's feeling and HE is responsible for how he deals with them.
Riftan doesn't act in Maxi's interest 99% of the time and the one time he does, it's because overarchingly, it's in HIS interest (like when he keeps her safe from danger). It's like he doesn't want to accept that she's her own person. I do not believe, for a single second, that he truly loves her at this point. He's in love with the person he made up inside his mind and it is incredibly frustrating to witness. He doesn't want her to grow, he doesn't want her to be less dependent on him, he doesn't want her free.