Genre
Fiction
Setting and Context
Takes place in Baztan Valley
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
Informative and upbeat
Protagonist and Antagonist
The central character is Inspector Amaia Salazar. Antagonist is not mentioned.
Major Conflict
There is a major conflict between Amaia and the ghosts haunting her from her past. When she investigates the death of a baby girl, she has to confront ghosts to seek answers to the real cause of death.
Climax
The climax comes when Amaia discovers that the evil church in the village plays a vital role in sacrificing children to evil powers for material gain.
Foreshadowing
Judge Markina’s refusal to open the coffins foreshadows his connection to the evil church that facilitates the sacrificing of children.
Understatement
The evil powers assume that Amelia is a nice person who can glorify their operations.
Allusions
N/A
Imagery
The novel opens with imagery when the author writes, "The lamp on the bedside table cast a warm, pink glow over the room, taking on different tones as it shone through fairy patterns on its glass shade. A shelf stuffed toy collection gazed at the sleeping child." The imagery is significant because it shows the innocence of the children sacrificed for material gains.
Paradox
The main paradox is that Amaia’a mother is involved in the mysterious deaths of innocent children. Amaia is shocked when she later learns that her biological mother is part of the syndicate she is investigating.
Parallelism
N/A
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The nightmares are a metonymy for the darkest secrets of the Baztan Valley.
Personification
The ghosts are personified as human beings who provide wealth.
