Revelation

Much of the book centers on the uncovering or revelation of something: the painting, Piers Hebron's bones, the basilica, and in some ways, each of the characters. The painting has brought Birkin to Oxgodby, as he uncovers the painting from the many layers of paint that have gone over it. Slowly, each piece of the painting is revealed: Christ, the angels, and the damned. We, like Birkin, only see parts of it as he works, with the whole revealed to us later. Likewise, the search for Piers Hebron's bones and the basilica has brought Moon to Oxgodby. Both men have been hired to uncover and restore things that have significance to Miss Hebron, and by the end, each has done just that.

Like the painting and the bones, the characters themselves are also uncovered over the course of the book. We see the secret, unspoken love of Alice...