Where the Dark Stands Still

Liska Radost is the novel’s protagonist. She is in her late teens and has “hair the color of freshly turned soil” (5), freckles, and eyes “[l]ike periwinkles.” Liska’s appearance stands out among the fair-haired villagers, which emphasizes that the protagonist is an outsider in her society. Her supernatural power takes the form of butterflies that are the same blue as her eyes, and the butterflies serve as a motif of The Magic of Self-Acceptance. The young woman possesses a strong will, a trait that shapes her characterization and the plot. At the start of the novel, she enters the Driada alone at night even though she knows that the flower she seeks is guarded by “the wood’s devilish spirits” (3). Liska further proves her determination when she takes the Leszy’s bargain and foregoes opportunities to return to her old life in the village. Liska’s name means “fox,” and she fittingly demonstrates her cleverness by unraveling the manor’s mysteries and outwitting Weles. Another of the hero’s positive attributes is her kindness. The caring Liska looks after humans, animals, and spirits alike, and she even “turned [the Leszy] soft” with her “relentless charm” (206).