YMMV / Goodbye, My Rose Garden

• Adorkable: Hanako's passion for books often makes her act like a giddy schoolgirl. She's also easily flustered, something Alice likes to take advantage of.
• Alternative Character Interpretation:
  • Late in the series, Edward makes Hanako an ultimatum— he's willing to accept Alice's decision if she calls off the engagement, but will reveal the truth about her sexuality unless Hanako leaves Alice forever. Is this a petty act of revenge for Alice choosing another woman over him? Or is it a bluff to scare Hanako away? Or is it perhaps a Secret Test of Character to see if Hanako is willing to give up on Alice for the sake of her happiness(which would imply that his earlier attempt to bribe Hanako to leave Alice was a similar test)? Hanako doesn't doubt that Edward loves Alice, but fears that unrequited love can turn to hate. The fact that Alice leaves Edward at the altar after confessing her sexuality, thus meaning he won't have to carry out his threat only complicates matters.
  • Edward is aware that Alice does not love him, but persists in proposing to her, albeit while allowing her to refuse if she so desires. Is he doing so because he believes that marrying him will bring her happiness in the long term, or so he can have her to himself? Is his decision to allow her to refuse out of respect for her freedom to choose, or out of the ultimately mistaken belief that social pressures will force her to accept?
• Moment of Awesome:
  • When Edward tries to bribe Hanako to leave Alice, Hanako not only turns down the money, but brazenly calls him out on how little faith he has in the woman he loves. It takes an incredible amount of nerve for a maid to talk that way to a nobleman, but Hanako's point gets through and Edward apologizes.
  • After chapters of angsting about what to do about Edward's proposal, Alice finds her answer at the end- she leaves Edward at the altar and confirms that the rumors about her are true, leaving him unable to act on his threat.

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