One of the most interesting things about The Furies is the way in which Charnas has allowed her characters to grow in the years that have intervened since the action of Motherlines (1979). Alldera still bears the physical and mental scars of early abuse, but is now clearly a middle-aged woman. Although a competent and confident leader, she is more given to introspection than she was in earlier years and less given to seeing things in absolute terms. In The Furies we also see Alldera struggling to develop new relationships with three of the most important people in her life, her former master Eykar Bek, her former lover, Daya the pet fem, and her longtime competitor, the Riding Woman Sheel Torrinor. All three of these people have changed over the years. Eykar has been humbled, rendered more human by his fall from power. Daya, still as intense and irrational as ever, has been alienated from Alldera by jealousy. Sheel, who has always seen herself as superior to Alldera, is still struggling with the idea of the Free Fern as a leader of women.