Caroline Maddison

Caroline Maddison
Race	Earth
Other names	Née Drake
Born	1984
Age in “Snow”	41
Occupation/rank	Unknown
Family	Richard (husband) Luke (son) Susan (daughter) Meg (daughter) Emily (daughter)

Caroline is the mother of the four Maddison siblings. It is her and her husband's decision to send their children to Portian House for the summer that results in the children entering Altierra.

Appearance

The novel gives no detailed physical description of Caroline, so her exact appearance is left open. She can be imagined as a well-presented, affluent middle-aged woman who takes care with her appearance. Her perfume, low-cut clothing and expensive SUV suggest someone conscious of presentation and accustomed to a comfortable lifestyle. She should appear polished, socially confident and slightly removed from the practical difficulties faced by her children.

Uses lots of perfume (Black Orchid). Wears inappropriate low-cut tops.

Character

Caroline is affectionate, self-assured and outwardly protective, but she is also self-centred and emotionally manipulative. She loves her children in her own way, yet she repeatedly assumes that her wishes should take priority over theirs. Rather than asking Luke whether he wants to spend the summer supervising his sisters, she presents the arrangement as something already decided and insists that he will enjoy it.

She is particularly skilled at making unreasonable plans sound attractive. Caroline disguises the inconvenience of sending the children to Dartmoor by describing the house, the countryside and the activities they might enjoy. She also minimises their objections, treating them as childish complaints rather than legitimate concerns. Her habitual use of affectionate language makes her control seem gentle, but it does not make it any less controlling.

Caroline is also somewhat superficial and self-absorbed. While discussing the children’s arrangements, she is easily distracted by Christmas decorations, attractive cars, perfume and the prospect of cocktails in St Lucia. She appears more concerned with enjoying her holiday than with understanding how her children feel about being separated from their parents and sent to an unfamiliar house.

Despite this, Caroline is not deliberately cruel. She believes that the children will be safe and cared for, and she seems genuinely convinced that her plans are sensible. Her weakness is that she confuses providing for her children with understanding them. She is loving in a possessive and patronising way, and her confidence allows her to overlook risks that a more attentive parent might have noticed.

A character who appears to live in a “parallel world” where she avoids problems. She is manipulative, using charm and flattery to convince Luke to take on the summer chaperone role. She is also detached from the realities of her children's lives.

Speech

Caroline speaks in a warm, coaxing and highly familiar manner. She frequently calls Luke “darling” and uses his childhood nickname, “Lukey”, even though he is twenty and wants to be treated as an adult. Her language is affectionate on the surface but often carries an unmistakable element of control.

She tends to phrase statements as questions when she is trying to persuade someone: “Have you got any plans?” and “You will just be like Daddy”. This allows her to sound conversational while quietly directing the discussion towards the answer she wants. She often ignores objections or changes the subject rather than addressing them directly.

Caroline also uses minimising phrases such as “don’t overdramatise”, “never mind”, and “I’m sure you’ll have a lovely time”. These expressions dismiss anxiety and make disagreement appear unreasonable. She speaks with breezy confidence, as though problems can be solved simply by assuming everything will work out.

Her speech is filled with endearments and reassuring assertions: “darling”, “my darling”, “you’ll see”, and “you don’t need to worry”. She rarely sounds angry or uncertain. Even when Luke challenges her plans, she remains calm and continues speaking as though the decision has already been made. Her characteristic voice is therefore affectionate, persuasive and lightly patronising, with an underlying assumption that she knows what is best for everyone.

• “Daddy”,
• "Darling”
• Calls Luke "Lukey"

Timeline

Year	Age	Event
1984	-	Born (Caroline Drake)
2003	19	Married Richard Maddison
2005	21	Luke born
2008	24	Susan born
2009	25	Meg born
2013	29	Emily born
2025	41	Her children entered Altierra