Irony of nightmares and reality
Instead of a kid having nightmares and waking up to a peaceful life, Havaa does the opposite, dreaming of sea creatures and peaceful scenes of water, and then waking to a war-torn, hellish life. For Havaa, reality is the nightmare, and the dreams are her escape.
The irony of hopelessness
All throughout the novel, the reader wants to read some piece of good news, but instead, there is a litany of horrific stories and gruesome deaths. This ironic reversal of expectations is one that the characters themselves understand, and they battle against the hopelessness of their station and the likelihood that history won't care about what happened to them.
The irony of the Russian doctor
Sonja is the best resource in the Chechen village. Her medical background in Russia makes her better equipped to help fight Russia's efforts by saving whoever she can. Her ethnic alignment with the enemy is what makes her qualified to make a difference.
The irony of prostitution as a better option
In order for someone like Natasha to prefer a life of sex slavery in a criminal prostitution ring, reality must be pretty abominable. Usually, a fate in sex trafficking would seem like the ultimate horror story, but it's nothing compared to Natasha's life in Chechen territory as a beautiful Russian woman. The ironic reversal of her qualities is notable too. Sonja was always jealous of Natasha's good looks, but Sonja's knowledge saves her, whereas Natasha's good lucks make her all the more endangered.
The irony of the young protagonist
The hero of the novel is Havaa who bravely faces her difficult, tragic life, and bears witness. Her position is the objective position of a child, and her judgment of the situation is fair. While Russian forces look at these people as military opponents, the child sees the horrors of warfare for what they are, and she suffers greatly by injustice. She is like a Christ-character, because her innocence makes her suffering infinitely more unjust.
