Compliment From a Skull
Not to take anything away from the young woman to whom he is talking, but the most memorable character in this entire series, as well as this book, is a skull floating inside a jar. "You shine like a beacon, attracting the attention of all dark things." It is always easy to know when the skull is speaking because his dialogue is always italicized. It is less easy to always know when the skull is being ironic. The metaphor here comparing Lucy to a bright light is usually complimentary. The explanation, however, brings into question whether the comparison is really intended as a sincere appreciation.
Lucy's Rival
There is a new and unexpected addition to the Lockwood and Co. ghost investigation team named Holly Munro. Lucy takes an instant dislike to her. And not just because now it means there's an equal number of females and males. "She unbuttoned her coat and took off her gloves. As usual, she’d made herself up like we were heading out to a society garden party." That is not dialogue. It is the first-person narration by Lucy. It is clear she is especially disgusted because the simile insinuates that Holly does not merely suffer from inappropriate fashion choices. The reference to the garden party snidely suggests that Holly doesn't know how to dress for ghost hunting because she is a rich girl.
Foul Fowl
One of the most memorable similes in the book is used for simple character description. "George had his faraway look, the one that made him look like a constipated owl." Ironically, the power of this metaphorical imagery lies in its imprecision. Most readers will know what an owl looks like, and most are familiar with constipation, but that precise imagery is completely open to the subjectivity of imagination.
George the Stoic
Poor George is the subject of many of the funnier similes as he is compared to other things throughout the book. "George’s face generally expresses as much emotion as a bowl of custard." This particular comparison is also illustrative of the Britishness of the book. Not only are Brits more likely to eat custard than Americans, but British custard differs significantly from the American version. Knowing that difference makes this comparison clearer.
Darkness
Darkness permeates the story, both literally and metaphorically. Multiple examples can be found such as "Darkness stokes the psychic senses" and "darkness swallowed us like we’d been immersed in ink." If there is any lingering doubt that darkness is the defining metaphor of modern society, a word search in a digital version of this book might clear things up. The story effectively combines both literal and metaphorical references to darkness in order to sustain its creepy atmosphere.
