Snakes

Snakes appear throughout the novel representing Manasa Devi. Snakes seem to be generally associated with the story of the Gun Merchant, resulting from his association with Manasa Devi. At the Gun Merchant's shrine, Tipu is bitten by a cobra. It is through this incident that he seems to gain the ability to channel the Gun Merchant and recreate his journey from India to Italy.

Spiders

Much in the same way that snakes are symbolic of Manasa Devi, so are spiders. One of the friezes at the Gun Merchant's shrine outright depicts a spider. As Rafi is explaining this association to Deen, a spider begins to crawl along his shoulder. Shortly following this incident, Deen encounters a brown recluse: an extremely venomous spider that is not native to Venice. Through both of these interactions, spiders serve as a warning to Deen.

Books

Books are a symbol of...