A Dawn of Onyx

“The Fae had been completely extinct for years—if they had ever been real at all. But I didn’t want to burst her imaginative bubble.”

This quote introduces the idea that no one is certain of the existence of the Fae, but this widespread doubt ironically foreshadows the eventual revelation that the Fae are not only real; they are deeply embroiled in the war between the Amber and Onyx kingdoms. Additionally, Arwen’s preference not to burst her sister’s “imaginative bubble” is indicative of her habit of placing others above herself.

“The night before Halden left, he had told me [Onyx] was rumored to be filled with all kinds of monstrous creatures. Dragons, goblins, ogres—I could tell he was trying to spook me, hoping I might nestle myself into the safety of his embrace and allow him to protect me from whatever was beyond our kingdom’s barriers. But it hadn’t frightened me at all. I knew how those tales went. Men, built up in story after story, twisted by retellings into some horrific beasts, wielding unknown powers and capable of untold torment. In reality, they were just…men. Evil, power-hungry, corrupt, debauched men. Nothing more, nothing less, and none worse than the one who had lived in my own home. My stepfather was more vicious and cruel than any monster from a story. I didn’t know if that truth would have brought Halden more or less fear on the day he and Ryder were sent off to war. It definitely wouldn’t help me if Leigh and I were forced into battle next.”

This thoughtful passage highlights Arwen’s childhood trauma even as it reveals her early skepticism for the veracity of overexaggerated stories. Although the passage illustrates The Ambiguity of Political Propaganda and tall tales alike, she does initially succumb to the propaganda spun about Onyx. However, when she reflects that most so-called “monsters” are often just men whose cruelty has been magnified, her thoughts reveal a greater degree of maturity and foreshadow the fact that her perspective will gain considerable depth as time goes on.

“Back inside, I looked through the books, scrolls, potions, and strange bottled creatures that adorned the apothecary walls. I devoured all the new information—so many ways to fix and mend and cure that I had never learned with Nora. Maybe something would spark an idea of how to escape from this place. I had more freedom than I would have expected as a prisoner, and with that came opportunity; I just needed a day or two to plan something that could actually work.”

While Arwen is genuinely fascinated by the apothecary’s knowledge and resources, she only perceives this wealth of information in Shadowhold as a means of potential escape. Thus, her curiosity is paired with pragmatism, and she absorbs details both for learning’s sake and as a way to survive.