53 pages • 1-hour read
A Dawn of Onyx
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Character Analysis
Arwen Valondale
As a citizen of the kingdom of Amber, Arwen Valondale is the protagonist and sole point-of-view character of the novel. Although she initially believes that the king of Onyx, Kane Ravenwood, is nothing more than a greedy, bloodthirsty, and immoral ruler, she eventually grows to love him when she gets to know him better. She begins as a loyal citizen of the Kingdom of Amber and a strong believer in King Gareth’s generosity and moral compass, but as she learns more about the origin of the war between Amber and Onyx and comes to understand some of the political machinations occurring beyond the public eye, her loyalties begin to shift toward the Onyx Kingdom.
Arwen has never hidden her unique healing ability, which manifests in a show of pure light but simultaneously exhausts her. However, she has never advertised her skills either because she knows of no one else with the same magic. Arwen has always known that she is not a witch; although witches can “do endless magic with the right grimoires and tutelage,” Arwen’s own abilities “fizzle out if worked too hard, leaving [her] depleted” (4)—sometimes for days, depending on the intensity of her efforts. Arwen’s magic is what initially interests Kane and his trusted men. Unbeknownst to her, she is the last full-blooded Fae, and they have been tirelessly searching for her for the last two decades. (However, she will only learn this fact at the novel’s conclusion, when the prophecy of her destiny and her death is revealed.)
For most of the narrative, Arwen struggles with her sense of self-worth and has trouble reconciling The Tension between Self-Sacrifice and Self-Interest. For example, when her older brother, Ryder, steals from Onyx Kingdom, her first instinct is to offer up her own life in order to save his. Despite her hidden strengths, Arwen only sees her own weaknesses. She often compares herself to Ryder, believing that he is “[c]reative where [she] was practical, outgoing where [she] was shy. Brave, charismatic, popular, and adored by everyone” while she “was not” (67). When she laments having been “crippled by fear [her] whole life” (67), this admission highlights her frustration over the deeply ingrained Prison of Fear that haunts her adult choices. Because Arwen tends to put others’ needs before her own, she often misses opportunities for self-improvement.
Arwen’s debilitating fear has been deeply damaging to her life path, and she acknowledges this issue by specifically referencing how often she cries, and how easily. As she states, “I cried when I saw my mother in pain. I cried […] when I heard a beautiful harmony. I cried when I lost a patient […]. I cried when I felt overwhelmed. It was the least brave quality—to be sensitive and fearful and full of tears” (49). However, although Arwen views her sensitivity as a weakness, Dagan teaches her that fear, when properly channeled, can become a form of courage. As the novel progresses, Arwen adopts this new philosophy to harness what she once saw as her greatest weakness and transform it into her greatest strength.
Kane Ravenwood
King Kane Ravenwood of Onyx is Arwen’s love interest. He is secretly the son of the Fae king Lazarus, and the narrative eventually reveals that he escaped the Fae realm 50 years ago after a failed rebellion against Lazarus. Kane has “piercing, slate gray” (53) eyes, dark hair, a chiseled jaw, and full lips. However, his physical appearance contrasts sharply with the rumors beyond his kingdom, which portray him as a monster. Because he is a powerful Fae, he has the ability to shapeshift into a black dragon that Arwen sees as a “mind-bendingly beautiful, terrifying creature of wicked power” (367).
Kane repeatedly claims to be fascinated by Arwen’s positivity and her ability to see the better qualities in any situation. His long life, which spans 215 years, has left him jaded to the world’s wonders. Because he lost all of his loved ones in the failed rebellion against Lazarus, he now has a self-deprecating personality and is intent on denying himself the pleasures of life. These harmful habits prevent him from accepting the love of others, and he is therefore widely known to engage in a series of insignificant liaisons. Before Arwen meets him in person, his decision not to choose a queen is well-known throughout his kingdom.
At the beginning of his relationship with Arwen, her perceptions of Kane are shallow, simplistic, and powerfully influenced by The Ambiguity of Political Propaganda in Amber. Without much personal evidence, she believes Kane a “hothead, a manipulator, and a liar, with no sense of morality or compassion” (210). However, as she spends more time at Shadowhold and comes to know him better, she begins to hold a far more nuanced view of his personality and intentions. Once she is immersed in the daily lifestyle of Onyx, she comes to realize that her home kingdom perpetuated false narratives that oversimplified the conflict with Onyx and created a warped, inaccurate view of its ruler.
Mari
Mari, a citizen of Onyx and a witch, is a secondary character who serves as Arwen’s best friend. She initially appears cheerful, bold, and full of personality, with her “wavy mess of bright red hair” and “freckle-dotted nose” (68), and her lively presence brings energy to the early chapters, when Arwen is still acclimating to a quasi-imprisoned life at Shadowhold. Mari quickly becomes a source of support for Arwen, and she is the only person in Onyx who does not lie or withhold truths from her. Additionally, Mari is the only one to offer her unconditional support; she even agrees to free Halden despite his association with the Kingdom of Amber, simply because she wants to make Arwen happy. Despite her cheerful and talkative nature, Mari has a strength that Arwen admires.
However, Mari’s character is more layered than her initial boldness suggests. Her comments about being brave rather than humble show that she has qualities that Arwen covets for herself. In this, Mari becomes a key role model for Arwen’s efforts at self-improvement. However, as the two grow closer, Mari displays moments of vulnerability, as when she admits to her struggles to become as talented a witch as her mother was. This issue becomes even clearer when Mari confesses her fear of failure, saying, “Being good at things, knowledgeable about everything […] it’s all I’m worth, I think” (172). Ultimately, Mari’s natural authenticity inspires and aids Arwen on her own journey of personal growth.
Dagan
Dagan is a secondary character who serves as a mentor and a father figure for Arwen. Initially portrayed as emotionally distant and stern, he is eventually revealed to have a withdrawn yet wise personality. His mentorship initially takes on the tone of a teacher who tolerates rather than nurtures. However, as time goes on, Arwen learns that Dagan’s detachment is rooted in grief over the loss of his family. Mari tells her that Dagan “used to be an advisor” and “served in the Onyx army” (88) but now devotes himself to working in the apothecary, which has led to rumors about his potential status as a warlock. Mari acknowledges that he pretends to be annoyed even as he enjoys helping her with research. This dynamic hints at his hidden compassion. Dagan’s most important moment comes in a conversation with Arwen after a training session, in which he says, “I would have been very proud to see my daughter grow up like you” (228). The revelation that he lost both his wife and his infant daughter to Lazarus explains his distant yet protective behavior toward Arwen. As a mentor, Dagan gives her the necessary tools protect herself and to strengthen her mental defenses.
Halden
While Halden appears only briefly at several points in the novel, he plays a significant role by acting as a foil to Kane. His many flaws and shortcomings make it clear that Kane is a better love interest for Arwen. At first, as Arwen’s childhood friend in Amber, Halden represents safety, predictability, and the life that she might have led if she had remained in her home kingdom. From childhood, he was a comforting presence, giving her a “smile that made [her] feel safe” and that she “would have followed […] anywhere” (11). His fair, white-blonde hair and easy charm drew her in at age seven, and her adult affections for him are intertwined in nostalgia and familiarity. To Arwen’s family and community, Halden is the obvious romantic choice: a loyal, good-hearted local boy who fits their severely limited vision of her future.
However, as Arwen matures, she begins to sense a mismatch between her values and Halden’s. His casual dismissal of her concerns about Onyx’s land expansion signals a lack of depth or curiosity that does not match Arwen’s compassionate interests in broader affairs. This gap between their values is further explored during her visits to the dungeons in Onyx, where she is repeatedly disconcerted by his comments. His desire to save her from Onyx and protect her makes her feel as though he is trying to possess and entrap her, not love her.
Halden’s primary function in the narrative is to help Arwen realize what she does and doesn’t want in a romantic partner. As her doubts about her feelings for him grow, she wonders, “Why didn’t it feel like love when he finally saw in me what I had seen in him for so long?” (11). Her doubts continue to grow until there is no basis left for any romantic connection between them. Therefore, Halden’s limited presence has widespread effects on the emotional aspects of the plot, for his actions help Arwen to clarify her own definition of love and to realize that Kane is the one who provides for her full range of relationship needs.
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