“In a too-beautiful part of the world, where so much blood had been shed and so many bodies burned or buried, or left unburied, through violent centuries.”
The quote from above is mentioned in the prologue of the novel and it is used as a first description of the area where the action of the novel takes place. The initial description of the setting is extremely important because it is used to foreshadow the main events of the novel and it is also used as a way of explaining the reason why so many unnatural events took place in the area. Because of this, the description is extremely important because it makes the reader understand the reason why a strange series of events were bound to happen in the setting described by the narrator.
“The rocky slopes were lit by the afternoon light. The mountain looked primitive and astonishing. The four of them were silent awhile, staring.”
In this chapter, Ned together with his father’s assistant and another man from the team traveled to the mountain near the place where they were staying to scout for suitable places to take pictures. The quote from above describes the characters’ first reaction upon seeing the mountain from a distance. What it is important to note is the way in which all three characters felt the power of the mountain even if they did not understood it. Even from afar, they realized the mountain was the witness to traumatic events which took place in the past and as a result the manifested something akin to respect when it came to the imposing mountain.
“A world defined by dark blood. The smell was still with him, like meat, a thick, rotting.”
The quote from above describes one of the visions Ned had when he was close to a place associated with a tragic event. The vision he has is a disturbing one, Ned seeing carnage and even having the sensation of smelling burn and decaying flesh. This is a traumatic event for the teenager who until then was never exposed to such an experience. This vision also marks the beginning of his quest of finding the truth and as such it serve as a catalyst which fuels his desire to find the truth about what happened in the past and why he is able to experience it.
