Living in Fear

The central theme of the novel is Living in Fear. This theme is captured in the title “The Magician’s Lie” which refers to the lie Arden tells Holt during the interrogation: that Ray had locked her into the railcar and that this was why she was unable to escape from him. In reality, the door was unlocked and the only thing keeping Arden a prisoner there was fear.

The theme of Living in Fear unites the two central characters, Arden and Holt. At the opening of the novel Holt is adjusting to a new life which he feels will be defined by the bullet lodged near his spine and the constant fear of death. He then meets Arden, whose life up until this point in the novel has been defined by her fear of Ray and her fear of losing her independence. These...