Opaline, one of the three protagonists, is a vital part of the text and many of the motifs and themes that appear throughout. She’s an intelligent, independent woman, as is first apparent when she describes her short, bobbed hairstyle, which she cut in defiance of her mother’s wishes and in keeping with the new Modern Woman ideal of the 1920s. She’s strong-willed and refuses to let men control her, which she makes abundantly clear when she runs away from her home at age 21 to avoid an arranged marriage set up by her brother, Lyndon.

Opaline’s love and knowledge of books becomes her livelihood and motivation throughout her life. She works at the Shakespeare and Company bookshop and later runs her own rare bookshop in Dublin. In addition, she’s driven to prove to the existence of Emily Brontë’s second manuscript.

Opaline and Martha mirror each other at key points of the story. Both escape abusive domestic situations and unloving parents, and both crave love and belonging. However, in one respect, Opaline is Martha’s foil: the ability to make choices. Opaline makes quick and decisive choices throughout her life, whereas Martha often delays actions and is indecisive.