What is your assessment of the male characters in the book and how their storylines developed?

The plot highlights the impact of living in a patriarchal society in both timelines. What is your assessment of the male characters in the book and how their storylines developed?

I liked Henry as a character and I thought he learned and grew as the book progressed. His self-doubts and internal chiding of himself could be quite endearing.

Opaline's brother, on the other hand, was not well developed. He was a stereotypical bad guy who was violent and who was totally self-centered and manipulative. He was a stock character, nothing more. The same was true of Martha's husband: violent, selfish, and manipulative.

The male characters to me were secondary to the story. Pull them out, and the novel still stands on its own.

I liked Henry as well. Yes, he was endearing but also annoying. I found myself wishing he would speak up for himself. He had so many missed opportunities and had only himself to blame. As I think about it, this was his story as well. He and Martha both “grew up”.
Opaline’s brother was just as he appeared to be. His backstory was interesting but not unexpected - a necessary part of the big picture. Although he was an evil guy, I was not emotionally invested in him, as I was with Henry.
The doctor in the asylum was also a necessary and predictable character - evil, yes, but not uncommon for the times. I cheered at how Opaline was able to manipulate him for her release.
And Martha’s husband was also as to be expected. Not a nice guy, but a reminder as to how common his behavior was and still is in many men. Once again, a central part of the plot. And Henry , of course, was just the opposite - a truly kind and caring person.

Almost all of the male characters were selfish, only looked out for their own reward. Some were downright evil. They did not care about anyone else’s wellbeing.
Even Henry was somewhat like that at the beginning but Henry did grow and change as the story unfolded.

I found the male characters lacking in depth. Actually, the entire novel could have used more depth and character development. Her husband was your typical narcissist, her suitor was the typical conflicted guy without much of a backbone. There was the already married idiot And maybe if time had been taken to make them 3 dimensional, it might have been more bearable.

The brother and the husband were faulty to an extreme. Henry was a work-in-progress but had redemptive qualities.

The men were scared . . .

Henry was the only male character that wasn’t selfish, mean and unloveable as a character.
Martha husband and Opaline’s brother were combative and both exemplified domestic abuse. Didn’t love their characters but played a secondary roles in the story. The asylum doctor was selfish and egotistical. He didn’t care about any of his patients and was ruthless in his actions concerning Opaline.