Even its critics agree that East is an aww-inducing book.
- Arne draws the wind roses for each of his children. Considering how much work (and money for the drawing tools!) it takes, this tradition shows how much he cares for them.
- Rose is genuinely sorry about Elise, despite being born after the latter’s death and as a Replacement Goldfish for her. She asks her father to tell her of Elise and to draw a portrait of her, which results in both Arne and Eugenia reliving their most precious memories of their deceased daughter.
- The white bear tries to establish a friendly relationship with Rose, even while she’s living captive in his castle, and manages to bond with her through music – his own favourite pastime, as we find out later.
- Rose finds an unexpected friend in Tuki, an adorable young(ish) troll. Later, he is enthusiastic about finding her in the ice palace and eagerly helps her to rescue Charles.
- Charles, when he was still a pampered dauphin, was quite happy to play with a completely strange girl and apologised to her immediately after saying her voice was odd. No wonder said girl, who grew up to be the Troll Queen, fell for him seriously.
- Alright, Soren seeing Arne's mapmaking skills and offering him a partnership can be explained as pragmatism, but everything afterwards? Just plain sweet. He calls a doctor for Sara, he finds Neddy a place to study, and he helps the family with farming. He believes Sara and later Neddy when they tell him the ludicrous (to any outsider) tale of Rose and the white bear – believes them enough to go and search for Rose in person. And later he gives the trolls' former captives money to start their lives again. Is it surprising Sara said yes?
- Thor, initially shown as a pathetic drunk, is revealed to be a Jerk with a Heart of Gold after he and Rose end up travelling together. And eventually, he finds a new interest in life after spending time in a peaceful Inuit village. Rose mentions he and Charles become fast friends precisely because they had both walked the earth aimlessly and then found themselves again.
- Malmo, an Inuit female shaman, helps Rose to get to the ice bridge that would lead her to the trolls. On their way, among other things, she saves Rose from a real wild white bear because she understands how nature works and is an Ethnic Magician who can talk to animals (the bear is hungry and she simply tells it where it can find a lot of seals).
