Genre
Supernatural, horror, thriller
Setting and Context
The Hollow Boy is set in a modern-day London in which the supernatural are wreaking havoc across the city.
Narrator and Point of View
The Hollow Boy is told from the perspective of Lucy, one of the founding members of Lockwood and Co.
Tone and Mood
Tense, suspicious, mysterious, intense, energetic, judgemental, conniving, and empathetic.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Lucy is the novel's protagonist and the supernatural beings which Lucy investigates and fights is the antagonist of the novel.
Major Conflict
As with the other novels in the series, the major conflict of The Hollow Boy is Lucy's conflict with the supernatural, many of whom are trying to kill her.
Climax
When Lucy and Lockwood and Co. meet up with the Hollow Boy, who helps them destroy the evil poltergeist.
Foreshadowing
Lucy working with Lockwood and Co. again is foreshadowed by Lockwood's interaction with her at her home.
Understatement
The sheer power that Lucy possesses is understated for much of the start of the film.
Allusions
There are allusions in the novel to the history of horror and mystery novels like Agatha Christie and Stephen King, allusions to popular culture (and culture more generally) in the United Kingdom, religion, mythology, and the geography of the United Kingdom.
Imagery
As Lucy and Lockwood and Co. approach the poltergeist, violent and intense imagery becomes more frequent.
Paradox
Lucy was successful in Lockwood and Co. and loved everyone she worked with, but left the agency.
Parallelism
N/A.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
Chelsea is used to refer to a neighborhood in London.
Personification
The skull which Lucy uses is given human characteristics (it is called the "whispering" skull, which only humans are able to do).