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Mary-Lynnette and Ash

  
     Mary-Lynnette Carter and Ash Redfern meet one another in the Night World book Daughters of Darkness.  Theirs is an instant soulmate connection.  They don’t seem to like each other and yet they are drawn to one another.  Some have criticized this relationship by claiming that Ash and Mary-Lynnette didn’t get along and therefore do not make a good couple.  I believe that they are not looking hard enough at the book.  It hits me that Ash and Mary-Lynnette fight the relationship not because they dislike each other so much but because neither of them enjoys not being in control.  They are both independent people and don’t like the idea of being forced together.  In the end though, they come together in the realization that they cannot fight it.  It’s destiny.

      
Now, although I believe in destiny, if you were to just leave it at that you’d have a very poor basis for a relationship.  Luckily L.J. Smith seems to realize this and there’s more to Ash and Mary-Lynnette’s relationship than some may notice.

      
First of all, Mary-Lynnette’s reason for needing Ash in her life.  Mary-Lynnette is a big astronomy fan and in the beginning of Daughters of Darkness Mary-Lynnette wishes for someone to understand the night with her.  In Ash she finds this.  Until Ash, Mary-Lynnette never had a relationship.  It seems to me that not only was one of the reasons for this the inability of most people to understand her interests (Jeremy was the only person who ever seemed to have an interest in the sky when he watched the eclipse with her) but also most people it seems wouldn' t have strong enough personalities to match with her.  In Ash Mary-Lynnette finds an equal.  Mary-Lynnette and Ash can meet each other at every turn, each ready to give back what the other dishes out.  This will make for a great partnership in the future.

       As for Ash’s point of view, before he met Mary-Lynnette it seemed he was floundering a bit.  He didn’t have much of a direction in life and basically did as he pleased.  He was extremely self-assured since most people were too afraid to call him on things, not being able to see beneath the tough exterior.  Mary-Lynnette brought Ash back down from this high and mighty attitude.  She’s the one person who isn’t afraid to tell him when he’s acting like a jerk.  She stands up and helps to keep him in line.  She helps him to find direction as well when he leaves to put things right before returning. 

      Different kinds of people need different kinds of relationships.  In Ash and Mary-Lynnette's case they are looking for equals.  Neither of them is the type to be in a relationship where they always have to be the independant one.  Both of them would be too frustrated with this kind of situation for it to last long.  For them it’s a matter of equals and Ash and Mary-Lynnette are perfectly matched.
 
Reflections on LJ Smith
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Since 05/30/02
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