Truth vs. Lies
The entire story is sustained through compromise. The stories given by the characters are hard to believe. Tracker, the main character, doubts the narrative offered by other characters and regularly questions the truth behind their tales. The fundamental subject of the story is truth versus lies. On the first page, the author asserts, “truths eat lies” (James 1). The statement lays bare the basic subject of the whole story.
The Theme of Magic and Illusion
The whole story centers on magic and illusions. Most of the characters featured in the novel use magical powers to control situations and resolve conflicts. For instance, Tracker, the main character, uses his magical powers of tracking people and things to control the situation. Tracker is hired by a violent husband to track his wife who has escaped his beatings. The group hired by the king to track the missing boy possesses mystique powers that create illusions.
The Theme of Relationships
The characters in the novel relate to each other differently. Both romantic and casual relationships are explored in this book. Tracker, the main character, meets and falls in love with Leopard, a shapeshifter. The relationship between the two is romantic although it does not last long.
The Theme of Infanticide
The whole plot of the story revolves around the death of a young boy. The boy is dead but several people with unique powers have been hired to find him. The current king orchestrated the killing of the boy to prevent him from assuming power. To hide his cruelty, the king hires several people to search for the boy. However, the truth is that the boy is dead and Tracker knows it.
Greed for Power
The theme of greed for power is explored through the current king of the North Kingdom who wants to initiate war with the South Kingdom. The King has usurped the power illegally. The rightful person who should be sitting at the throne is the missing boy. Upon realizing the boy may overthrow him, the King kills him and pretends he is missing, to continue enjoying the trappings of power. The King’s actions show the greed for power.
