Thank you for posting this. I think I made a comment about not understanding why Louisa would go back to Jack given the fact that she just overall...better... I didn't call her stupid (and I don't think she is - she's clearly properly clever but that has little bearing on it anyway) I hope dearly that this isn't the situation and Jack is just a good
duck or something, so why not. If this is the situation then she absolutely has my sympathy.
The bit I'm struggling (personally, not judging or policing anyone else) with a little bit is the hints of coersion (how do you SPELL that) because it's such a huge thing to be accusing someone of without concrete evidence. Like, it's coercivally controlling someone is illegal and rightly so. I know we all say that Jack is a fraudster and morally she absolutely is, but with her grifting she doesn't actually seem to be breaking any laws, unfortunately.
I don't know, it seems like a big thing to say that she has got this hold over Louisa. But also maybe it's a thing that needs to be said. Struggling to work out where to stand on it all but just wanted to throw my thoughts into the ring, if for no other reason than to selfishly assuage my guilt at having been a bit judgy towards Louisa (although I stand by my judginess over the book hiding.)
Two sides of the same coin, innit. In as far as it's impossible to know for sure whether Jack has gone full narc on Louisa or whether Louisa genuinely is happy being back. Either way it clearly looks to be a pretty toxic relationship.
Thanks for the link JuliaGulia. Hope you're not too triggered by it all and are looking after yourself.
Edited slightly because I can't word it to express what I want it to express
