Callum’s Pistol

Callum’s pistol symbolizes the painful necessity of violence in the pursuit of self-defense. At the beginning of the novel, Callum has never harmed anyone, but through the narrative, he must inflict violence on those who attempt to kill him. Callum’s pistol is often the means of this self-defense.

The Fetus

The preserved fetus symbolizes the persistence of tragedy. Ava’s mother miscarried a child, and Ava’s father preserved the fetus in a jar, likely filled with formaldehyde. Ava and Callum take the jar with them on a journey, which represents the way in which one must hold onto one’s past—even past tragedies—in order to form one’s identity.

Reiver

Reiver symbolizes the power and value of loyalty. Reiver is a loyal steed throughout Ava and Callum’s journey, and he only ceases in this loyalty when he is...