Ash the Taltos
The novel rather daringly introduces a brand-new character of tremendous significance into the trilogy in the third book. His name is Ash Templeton, and he is a member of the ancient race known as the Taltos. All that was in the ancient past, however, for today he is a successful CEO. “His company had been his redemption” expresses his view of this transmogrification. The metaphor subtly hints at the darkness of his ancient past. When becoming the CEO of a global conglomerate is the path to salvation for your sins, it is a sure bet that those sins might just be unimaginable.
The Need for Redemption
What might be unimaginable is almost certainly abominable. The desire for redemptions indicates recognition of the sin, but also perhaps some self-reflection about the cause of the sinful acts. This is not the case with Ash who has, admittedly, had a lot of time for contemplation. “Deep within us all are the seeds of hate for what is different” is Ash’s metaphorical conclusion—rationalization might be more appropriate—about the motivations driving him to commit the sins for which he seems redemption. Part of that process of penance is sharing the wisdom he has accumulated through long experience.
Irony
The question for redemption by Ash comes about through irony. The extinction of all other members of his ancient race is brought about by conversion to Christianity. "The blood of Christ is our sacrament and our nourishment. It shall forever replace the cursed milk we sought from our women in lust; it shall be our new sustenance and our portion.” The metaphorical language is especially appropriate because Ash was not literally revealing his true thoughts. He was using the symbolism of Christianity to exploit what he saw as a weakness among his human enemies. Things did not work out quite like he intended. He would eventually come around to literally believing in the very imagery that he had earlier rejected as trickery.
Finishing the Carton
The history of the Mayfair witches is extensively and very precisely detailed over the course of the trilogy. In what seems to be a meta-textual metaphor, this vital act of reading the book is replicated by one of the characters within the narrative. “Mary Jane, once introduced to the various files and histories, had proved insatiable. The history of the family was now her ice cream, so to speak.” The reference, it should be mentioned, is to the near-universal realization that once one starts digging that spoon into a pint of ice cream, it becomes a test of will to stop before the carton is empty. As to whether readers look upon the history of the Mayfair witches by this point as a carton begging to be finished or one last remaining spoonful likely to make them sick is up to each individual.
“You ran like a ruptured duck”
This simile is likely to be as inexplicable to some readers as it is immediately understandable to others. It is used in reference to Stuart who is accused of leaving without so much as a “hasty word of parting.” The simile references a lapel button awarded to those members of the U.S. military who were honorably discharged from service during World War II. That historical context was broadened later so that the phrase became slang describing somebody in a such a hurry to get away that they dropped everything in an instant.
