Her Soul for Revenge

“But Hell is inhabited by those who have existed for centuries, for millennia. It has seen wars, uprisings, the growth and destruction of cities, of cultures. It is full of magic and memories.”

Zane’s explanation of the positive and negative features of Hell highlights the novel’s framing of it as a dimension characterized not by evil (as many major religious traditions portray it) but by lack of inhibition. The novel doesn’t depict this as inherently good or bad, though Juniper sees the freedom that Hell’s culture promises as an affirming force. Therefore, she doesn’t fear her future in Hell but sees it as a source of comfort.

“Give a human knowledge, and he thinks he’s wise. Give a human magic, and he thinks he’s strong. Give a human religion, and he’ll think he’s right.”

Zane contrasts the limits of human knowledge (of both their own limitations and the world) with the more expansive perspective that demons gain, given their long lives. However, Zane doesn’t suggest that demons know what’s right, wise, or strong, which implies that his long history helps him avoid the kind of hubristic thinking that lures the Libiri into evildoing.

“Leon and I had sworn our bonds to each other centuries ago, and that bond had never broken. It never would. We may not have been lovers as we once were, but relationships that lasted through hundreds of years had to eb [sic] and flow like the tides.”

The length of Zane and Leon’s relationship affects their perspective. This ability to have an expansive vision of an intimate relationship (which may or may not be sexual at different times) means that the friction between Leon and Juniper isn’t because of awkwardness about Leon and Zane’s sexual history; rather, it’s exclusively due to Kent formerly commanding Leon’s actions.