Ruby Brooch

The ruby brooch represents a chain of fate that Lilliet can never escape. This gift from the Emperor is one that haunts Lilliet for the entirety of the novel. It passes through multiple characters’ hands and always finds a way to return. Euphrosyne, the Tenor, Aristafeo - all people who influenced her fate. Only at the end of the novel, when Lilliet reclaims it for herself, does Lilliet realize she can control her own fate.

Fach

The idea of Fach - or the range of one’s voice and the roles they can play - is symbolic of Lilliet’s fate. As a soprano, her roles are limited to characters who are usually imprisoned, controlled, or die. This is a perfect parallel to her own life. Every “role” she plays in life, she is trapped and bound to the whims of another. Even the Tenor...