A Drop of Corruption

“Each year, all the arts and genius of the Empire must be mustered to hold [the leviathans] back. And all the while, harmony, equality, and progress must be maintained, for without them, the Empire shall unravel.”

The prologue highlights the way in which all of Khanum is in the “shadow of the leviathan” (the title of Bennett’s series as a whole) even when, as in A Drop of Corruption, the threat of the leviathans is not immediate. Though no living leviathan appears on the page in A Drop of Corruption, their presence forms the backdrop against which all the action unfolds.

“Moving everything from its location made estimating its value to the investigation much more difficult: a knife found hidden behind a pillow is much more interesting than one packed away in a bag.”

Din here shows that he has been developing investigative skills in the time between the first novel in the series and the second. He is no longer just an engraver whose role is to memorize facts for someone else to analyze; he has become a detective in his own right. This suggests that building these skills will be an overarching character arc in the series.

“‘How do you feel about that?’

‘About what?’

‘Any of it. About the Empire taking over Yarrow. It’s been in the works for almost a century, yes?’

‘I think what most Yarrow folk do,’ [Malo] said simply. ‘I think it was the king’s agreement, made with the Empire for the king’s lands long ago.’

‘Are they not your lands, too.’

A trim smile. ‘Spoken like one who has never known a king.’”

Malo here notes the feeling of helplessness that comes along with living under a corrupt king. While Malo ultimately reveals that she does hold some optimism for Imperial acquisition of Yarrow, her professed ambivalence here shows that she has relatively little faith in any form of leadership. Seeing her country change hands does not inspire Malo to hope that her life will change in any substantive way.