Genre
Action, Romance, Fantasy
Setting and Context
At school, St. Vladimir’s Academy
Narrator and Point of View
Told from the first person perspective. The narrator is Rosemarie Hathaway.
Tone and Mood
Frightening, violent, gory, lighthearted, funny
Protagonist and Antagonist
Rose is the protagonist who tries to protect Lissa from any threats, especially the Strigoi. Victor Dashkov is the main antagonist who kidnaps Lissa for his own selfish purposes.
Major Conflict
Victor and the Guardians come into conflict in the fight scene, where Psi-Hounds are unleashed on Christian. He also uses torture tactics on Lissa in order to force her to heal back to his optimum health.
Climax
Rose realized that training to become a Guardian by remaining at the school will aid her in protecting Lissa from evil as opposed to running away again. With Victor now imprisoned, the threats to Lissa’s life has now drastically reduced, giving Rose the time to focus on her relationships at school.
Foreshadowing
None
Understatement
Victor’s constant questions about Lissa and how she is faring should be the first sign of his true motives, but this is understated due to the rank he holds both socially and in his relationship with Lissa.
Allusions
There are many allusions to good and evil, and this is represented by the Moroi and Strigoi. It could be an allegory for the idea of evil existing in this world, caused by the fall of Eve. The idea of Original Sin is presented by the idea that much like Eve was tempted, Moroi are tempted by the immortality that comes along with turning into a Strigoi.
Imagery
The imagery of the Raven in the final chapter is symbolic as it seems to represent Rose herself. The Raven itself is a shadow-kissed creature to Lissa and so there is a strange connection between the two. The fact that Rose notes its dark color further highlights how close the Raven is to death – much like Rose herself, who is intertwined with death.
Paradox
None
Parallelism
None
Metonymy and Synecdoche
None
Personification
None
