* The oppressive social structure: The book is set in a world where women are largely confined to domestic roles and lack agency. This system itself acts as a force against the protagonist, Elara, and her desire for freedom and agency.
* The threat of the "Unseen": The Unseen, a mysterious force that preys on the weak and vulnerable, represents a constant danger and fear that permeates the story. While not a single entity, its threat casts a long shadow on the characters' lives.
* Elara's own internal struggles: Elara's personal demons, her fear of the past, and the internal conflict between her desire for love and her need for independence all contribute to the antagonist's complexity.
Therefore, the antagonist in "Holdfast" is not a villainous character in the traditional sense but rather a manifestation of a systematic and internal oppression that Elara must overcome to achieve her goals.