I actually just reread that book for a fanfiction idea (she's actually really hard to write for). I agree with advanced people being sheltered thing on her part. She's naive and thinks that she can change a world that's already too bent on the war effort, which is probably why she went (also the ending wouldn't be quite as romantic too, lmao).
For some reason I kind of also am reminded of the Daisy character from the Great Gatsby-- I feel like if more time was spent on her background, she might've had a few of the traits: "They were careless people... they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money of their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made." She had Arbat rep-ing for her, and the way she's naive, sort of reminded me of that I suppose and her retreat was that wacky sounding science field. I would like my ffiction to reflect that...
Yeah I don't really see her in the best light, but she's a very interesting character because of it.
