Common Knowledge: Summaries of the book, particularly those that compare it to the Lighter and Softer ballet, often describe Marie as living in a loveless household where the Nutcracker is her only emotional comfort. Yet while Marie's parents are sometimes harsh with her, mainly out of worry, and refuse to believe her fantastical stories about the Nutcracker, they are, in fact, portrayed as loving parents.
Squick: It's implied that Marie marries the fifteen-year-old Nutcracker Prince at the tender age of eight, although to be fair, the book doesn't specify how much time passes between the plot's main events and their engagement, or how soon they actually married after she went to live in his kingdom.
