Point of View

The novel is told in the first-person point of view through the eyes of Tamsin Lark, the adopted daughter of Nash. This is very significant in the early parts of the novel as Tamsin does not have the One Vision, and must rely on Ignatius or descriptions from others to see the magic around her. So, when she uses basilisk venom to give herself this magical sight, her reactions to new places and previously hidden magic is genuine. When visiting the spring under the Tower, for example, Tamsin thinks, “Nothing in my imagination could compare to what I’d seen here, either for beauty or for monstrosity” (181). This allows the reader to experience the world with Tamsin, even though she is already highly knowledgeable and an experienced Hollower.

Throughout the novel, Tamsin’s internal dialogue changes alongside her worldview. At the beginning, she is extremely...