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. Two elder Strigoi, Isaiah and Elena, are the main antagonists.
Major Conflict
The major conflict occurs when Rose, Mason, Mia, Eddie and Christian are kidnapped by Isaiah and Elena, two elder Strigoi who want to keep them for feeding purposes. They play mind games with them and threaten to turn Christian into a Strigoi. The physical conflict occurs when Rose manages to escape from her restraints and fight off the Strigoi, ultimately resulting in Mason’s death.
Climax
Rose realizes that there is much more to being a Guardian than merely ‘Molnija Marks’, as she once accused her mother of. She understands that being a Guardian takes a lot of responsibility, especially being Guardian, the last of her bloodline and the most sought after Royal by the Strigoi.
Foreshadowing
There is a foreshadowing that something bad is going to occur when the group find a list of names written down of the Royal Moroi. The fact that they found what they were initially looking for is suggestive and foreshadowing of the danger that is approaching them.
Understatement
None
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 gory image of Isaiah’s head after Rose beheads him with a blunt sword makes the reader flinch at the brutality that comes along with being a Guardian.
Paradox
None.
Parallelism
None.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
None.
Personification
None.
