54 pages • 1-hour read
Nightbane
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Symbols & Motifs
The Island of Lightlark
In Alex Aster’s series, people from the six different realms are tied to their respective rulers. In turn, Oro, the king of Lightlark, is bound to the island as his life and powers are closely intertwined with the land itself. Although the island of Lightlark is not depicted as sentient, it seems to respond to its inhabitants’ choices and abilities. Isla jokingly personifies the island when she mentions, for instance, that it “[continues] to come up with ways to make her feel inadequate” (3).
On the one hand, Oro’s almost symbiotic relationship with the island can be interpreted as a symbol of his role as a king. Indeed, this characterizes Oro as a benevolent, selfless leader who has dedicated his life to serving his people. On the other hand, Maren explains that the reason “people were cursed to be tied to their rulers [was] so [that] power could never be overthrown. [The curse] was meant to keep [the rulers’ subjects] all weak. Subservient. Loyal” (305). As a result, Oro’s interdependence with the island represents the oppressive rule of an absolute monarchy.
This symbolism informs the depiction of Oro and Isla’s relationship. Indeed, Isla is characterized by her proximity to natural elements thanks to her Wildling and Nightshade powers. As her very name suggests, Isla is also closely connected to Lightlark but more as a benevolent force rather than an exploitative ruler. As a result, the island serves her and Oro’s characterization and hints at the development of their relationship in the rest of the series.
Grim’s Necklace
In Lightlark, Grim gives Isla an invisible necklace enchanted to summon him, telling her: “Should you ever need me, touch this. And I will come for you” (46). Throughout the novel, Isla finds herself irritated at the necklace because it reminds her of her past with Grim, whom she now believes is her enemy. Since she is unable to take it off, Isla even compares the necklace to Grim and wonders if he is also “insistent and refusing to let her go” (4). She later points out: “Of course Grim would gift her a necklace impossible to take off. Of course he would make sure she couldn’t forget him, even though she wanted to” (256). In other words, Isla’s inability to remove the necklace can be interpreted as a symbol of her relationship with Grim. Although, on the surface, she seemingly wants to distance herself from Grim, she is also tied to her past in ways that she has not yet fully accepted or processed. At that point in the story, Isla’s feelings for Grim may be unconscious or repressed, but they are heavily implied by the symbolism of the necklace.
By the novel’s end, Isla embraces her history with Grim and realizes that they are closer than she had previously imagined. At the end of the book, Grim reveals what the necklace truly means: “‘In Nightshade, instead of rings, we give necklaces,’ he said. “I should have given this to you before. It’s a sign of our commitment. Once I put it on, it is on forever. Only with your death will it be released’” (401). This cements the necklace as a symbol of Isla and Grim’s relationship, which endures despite Isla’s memory loss and repressed emotions.
Nightbane
As the novel’s title suggests, the nightbane flower is a significant symbol throughout the narrative. Isla describes nightbane as “flowers so beautiful, they looked like melted night. Deep purple, with five sharp petals. Stars” (317). On the one hand, Grim explains that it can be made into a potent drug that “kills you slowly, methodically, efficiently, until you die with a smile on your mouth. With continued use nightbane is a death sentence, and everyone who takes it knows it” (221). On the other hand, Isla realizes that it is the same plant that Wildlings use to make their famed healing elixir. As a result, Isla draws a parallel between the flower’s dual use and her relationship with Grim: “Both poison and remedy. Opposites, like her and Grim. The ruler of life and the ruler of shadows. The flower connected them” (318). Nightbane therefore ties into the theme of Duality and Identity and reinforces Isla and Grim’s characterizations. Indeed, just like the flower, Isla is similarly referred to as “both curse and cure” (354, 373), while Grim is framed as her complementary opposite.
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