I know absolutely nothing about role-playing or its history, despite having a lurid imaginative life of my own, so this hadn't occurred to me as a serious point of comparison at all, let alone that the Brontes could be seen as the foremothers of Dungeons and Dragons!

Yes, I suppose AF does finally vindicate Nicola's suspicion of (and Karen's distaste for) Gondalling, but the reason it's such a good novel is partly that we are enthralled by the fantasy, and partly just as sad and let down as most of the characters when Nick stumps off to go lambing with the bracingly realistic Rowan, who would never have re-enacted the siege of Troy with the neighbour...