In the Wake of the Ruined
In the Wake of the Ruined
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Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of gender discrimination, emotional abuse, cursing, graphic violence, and death.
Series Context: The Siren Mage Duology
The duology’s first installment, In the Veins of the Drowning, introduces the Siren Imogen as an orphaned ward of King Nemea, one of few rulers who worship the water-deity Eusia instead of her older sister Ligea. King Nemea hunts Sirens, unlike other kingdoms, though he keeps Imogen in his castle and hides her identity. Along with her friend and former governess Agatha, she escapes the isle of Seraf, Nemea’s domain, to avoid an arranged marriage and the continued blood sacrifice to Eusia that Nemea forces her to perform. She uses the help of King Theodore, a visiting dignitary who worships Ligea, who has the ability to grow and heal things as a descendant of the Great God Panos. Some monarchs descend from Gods, who imbue their bloodline with natural divine gifts. If others want to use magic, they must make flesh and blood sacrifices; as such, magic is commonly only allowed for designated figures called Mage Seers. Imogen creates a blood bond with him on the agreement that they visit the Mage Seer in his land to receive a prophecy and thereafter break the bond.
This bond lets him resist Siren calls, or lures, which can force a person to do a Siren’s bidding. However, it forces the two to be drawn together, a connection that develops into real feelings as they carry out their plan. After confronting Eusia amid their travels, they learn that Eusia bonded Imogen to her at birth to siphon some of her power. Eusia doesn’t clarify her parentage. Theodore also continues arranging plans for his previously agreed engagement to the daughter of Empress Nivala of Obelia, who they later learn also worships Eusia and taught Nemea how to make blood sacrifices to her. After visiting the Mage Seer, Theodore tells Imogen he no longer wants to break their blood bond; however, she takes the magical draught to break it anyway after learning from the Mage Seer that she is prophesied to bring destruction.
When Nemea arrives to Theo’s kingdoms with his warships, Imogen is taken aboard, where she learns that Nemea brought Eusia to her homeland, Anthemoessa, but was forced into a blood bond by Ligea, who bid him to protect her and, later, her baby after becoming pregnant. Nemea is her father. Nemea tells Imogen that Ligea birthed her in the sea, after which Eusia kidnapped Ligea—presumably to feed on her power—and he now believes she is dead. Imogen kills Nemea but suffers a stab wound before attacking his fleet with her magic. She also accepts an even stronger bond with Eusia, who will feed on her power, in exchange for passage to Anthemoessa, where she believes Empress Nivala has absconded to after kidnapping her friend Agatha for a sacrifice. She ends the book planning to kill Eusia, save Agatha, and keep Theodore safe, fearing an attempt on his life by Eusia.
Literary Context: The Original Sirens of Greek Mythology
Modern fantasy often depicts sirens as beautiful, fish-tailed mermaids, but Kalie Cassidy’s duology returns to a more ancient and menacing tradition. The sirens of early Greek mythology were hybrid creatures, typically portrayed as having the head and torso of a woman with the legs, wings, and talons of a bird. Instead of attracting humans with their appearances, their primary weapon was their irresistible song, which lured sailors to crash their ships upon the rocky shores of the island of Anthemoessa. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, the hero Odysseus famously has his crew plug their ears with wax while he has himself tied to the mast, becoming the only man to hear the sirens’ song and survive. This portrayal emphasizes their role as deadly, supernatural obstacles rather than romantic figures. In the Wake of the Ruined embraces this classical depiction. Protagonist Imogen Nel is a Siren with wings and talons, and her power is a destructive force that she struggles to control. The narrative directly references Anthemoessa, her mother’s lost queendom, and her abilities are a source of terror and ruin, not allure. Understanding the Homeric origins of sirens as monstrous, dangerous beings—rather than seductive mermaids—contextualizes Imogen’s internal conflict and the fear she inspires in others, showing her struggle with a power that has historically been portrayed as an instrument of death.
Cultural Context: Feminine Rage in Contemporary Literature
Imogen’s journey reflects a significant trend in contemporary fiction: the centering of female rage as a narrative engine. In recent years, a wave of popular novels has moved beyond portraying female anger as hysteria or a character flaw, instead exploring it as a rational and often righteous response to oppression, betrayal, and systemic injustice. This literary movement allows female characters to express complex, “unlikable” emotions and reclaim agency through acts of vengeance and self-empowerment. For example, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl features a protagonist who meticulously orchestrates revenge against her unfaithful husband, using societal expectations of women against him. Similarly, fantasy novels like Rebecca F. Kuang’s Babel and S.T. Abby’s The Mindf*ck series feature heroines who channel their fury into violent, world-altering acts.
The movement arose most notably in the mid-2020s, when “feminine rage” became an identifiable term on social media and in media marketing, though it brought attention to both contemporary works and previous titles that fit within the trend. This includes Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder, A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summer, and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Noting it as a response to widespread gender discrimination, Angelina X. Ng of The Harvard Crimson states, “Female rage, it seems, is here to stay, and it points to a larger trend at hand — that of women expressing themselves, unafraid of being vulnerable and emotional” (“On Female Rage: Does the Wallpaper Look Yellow to Anyone Else?” 28 Mar. 2024). The trend gains distinction through its unapologetic depiction of extreme emotions, such as anger and upset, feelings previously stigmatized through centuries-old stereotypes of women being “hysterical.” Like in Cassidy’s Siren Mage duology, books falling under the feminine rage trend allow for female characters to be emotional and act on these feelings—often with violence—while being legitimized for their response, often to various forms of gender discrimination.
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