Crystal Harkins

Comment:

I started reading the Alice books when I was around 11 or 12 years old and I’ve always loved them so very much! However, I could only read the first 14 books as they only translated the first 14 into German and my English wasn’t good enough back then. But now, as I’m about to graduate high school, I’m gonna buy the rest as well!

Anyway, my favourite character has always been Crystal Harkins and the last time we read about her is in the 11th book, I think, when she turns out to be quite unhappy with her marrige. To me, it was clear from the very start that she only married Peter out of spite and recently, I read somewhere that she still isn’t over Les in the later books, after book 14. Like I said, I haven’t read those yet but I have a feeling that Crystals situation won’t really improve. Not getting over someone is something almost everyone can relate to and I’m so sorry for her. Could you tell me if she ever gets really happy with her marrige? Or will she never get over Les?

One way or another, thank you very much for sharing these wonderful stories with us, for making me laugh and cry everytime I open one of the Alice books and for giving us such inspiring, realistic, deep and lovable characters!

Phyllis replied:

I’m so glad you found a way to read the rest of the Alice books, and hope you have been able to find all 28 books in the series.  I think each reader can decide for herself what happens with Crystal, because a writer’s view of a character may not be the reader’s at all.  I have known young women, however, whose whole focus is on a certain person, a particular event–like a wedding, or a material object, like a bag or a ring–and they seem to feel that achieving this one thing or person or event will satisfy their great longing.  And then, once they get it, it loses some of its appeal, and they are on to something else.  Like a person who can’t seem to stop shopping, no matter how many designer bags she has.  Or whose whole idea of marriage centers on the wedding.  Or the guy that got away.  I’d like to think that as Crystal becomes more mature, she discovers what is really important in life, and perhaps she’ll find contentment with a truly nice guy.