In the Veins of the Drowning

The isle of Seraf symbolizes Imogen’s habitual complacency, passivity, and lack of responsibility. Seraf is first introduced as looking “like a beastly jaw protruding from the waters of Leucosia. It was all jagged peaks and ravenous valleys” (5) where King Nemea builds Fort Linum upon its highest summit. The ghastly vision depicted of the isle represents the lifestyle Imogen has become accustomed to under King Nemea’s cruel rule. While the isle is already remote and not easily inhabitable, Fort Linum—Imogen’s home—is even more remote and inaccessible to visitors arriving by sea. She resides so far up that the call of the sea is hardly present.

Imogen’s favorite spot at Fort Linum is “the [battlement] with the grandest view of the sea,” which represents her yearning for it even while she takes no action to visit it (5). She further describes it as “endless,” which makes her feel “immeasurably small.” This alludes to her desires to explore the wide-open world but also her fear in taking that leap.

When Theo first sees the view from the battlement, he theorizes “the only reason anyone would reside this high up—this far from the rest of the world—is because they either have something to fear or something to hide” (8).