58 pages • 1 hour read
Jennifer L. ArmentroutThe War of Two Queens
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2022A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Dreams
Dreams are a motif throughout the book to illustrate The Conflict Between Fate and Free Will. Several of the dreams are nightmares from Poppy’s past, where she relives the traumatic childhood memory of the death of her adoptive mother, Coralena. She also dreams of Seraphena crying. While it shows the fear and helplessness that have haunted Poppy throughout her life, it also foreshadows her true identity, which is revealed at the novel’s end. The dark figure in the dreams is later revealed to be Malik, who could not bring himself to kill Poppy despite her role in the prophecy. In the dream, Malik and Coralena argue over Poppy’s fate: “‘She will be the end of everything.’ ‘Or she is just the end of them. A beginning’” (286). This references Poppy’s true identity as the Primal of Life and Death. The “end of them” referenced by Coralena is the end of the previous cycle of Primals and the beginning of a new one.
However, the majority of the dreams are not abstract but instead are literal connections between characters. For example, while he is still being held captive by Isbeth, Casteel and Poppy can visit each other’s dreams and communicate, an ability that stems from their connection as heartmates. These dreams, outside of their narrative function of allowing the pair to interact before their reunion later in the story, become safe havens where they can escape the horrors of their waking lives and find comfort in each other’s presence. Casteel also reveals that he’s being held in the tunnels in one of these dreams. Jennifer L. Armentrout also uses dreams as a way for Poppy to communicate with the sleeping Seraphena. Thanks to this, she learns her name, allowing Poppy to wake her at the end of the novel.
Blood
Throughout the novel, blood becomes an important motif that invokes Freedom and Justice Versus Tyranny, and that also symbolizes the emotional connections between the main characters.
Isbeth, as the Blood Queen, represents bloodlust in its purest and most tyrannical sense. Her reign is marked by wanton violence and the slaughtering of innocents, speaking to both her ambition and her ruthlessness. Isbeth’s casual attitude toward shedding her subjects’ blood contrasts with Poppy’s determination to spare innocent lives whenever possible, reinforcing the two queens’ characterization as contrasts as both rulers and individuals.
Blood also appears as a symbol of intimacy and vulnerability, especially in the intimate scenes between Casteel and Poppy when they are reunited. In feeding off one another’s bond, they both heal and strengthen themselves while intensifying their desire for one another, which often culminates in sexual intimacy. Similarly, Kieran’s willingness to give Poppy his blood foreshadows the formal bonding he will undergo with both her and Casteel during the Joining ceremony, which always involves the drinking of blood and which results in total physical and emotional intimacy between the participants. The use of blood as something that can bond people to one another, reflecting their mutual love and desire, thus contrasts with the violent bloodshed associated with Isbeth and her henchmen.
The Joining
The Joining is an Atlantian ritual that Poppy, Casteel, and Kieran undertake in The War of Two Queens. It is a narrative device to show how deep their relationship goes, representing a shift in their identities as individuals and as a unit, and is a symbol that ties into the theme of The Balance of Love and Power. The ritual creates a permanent bond between individuals, linking them emotionally, physically, and metaphysically. The Joining requires deep trust and willingness from all parties involved. It’s not just about power or survival; it is about solidifying a bond based on mutual respect, trust, and love. For Poppy, her decision is based on her desire to protect those she cares for most. For Casteel and Kieran, the ritual expresses their unwavering loyalty to each other and Poppy.
A crucial aspect of the Joining is that it challenges traditional notions of monogamous relationships, particularly regarding romantic and emotional connections. It blurs the lines between romantic and sexual love, friendship, and loyalty. While Poppy and Casteel’s romantic relationship is still critical, their feelings for and connection to Kieran are depicted as nearly as important to them. Their shared bond challenges the idea that love and loyalty must be confined to specific roles or labels.
The Prophecy
Prophecy is both a narrative device and a symbolic element tied to the theme of the conflict between fate and free will in The War of Two Queens. Prophecy implies that certain characters’ fates are sealed, and they are bound to follow a path laid out for them. This is especially true for Poppy. The prophecies surrounding her speak of her as the “Bringer of Death and Destruction” or as the “Harbinger” and are constant reminders that her life is not entirely her own. She is haunted by the idea that she may be destined to bring ruin to the world, and this fear drives much of her emotional journey throughout the novel.
The prophecy is thus a psychological burden for Poppy, as she constantly questions whether she is in control of her actions or if she is merely playing out the role that has been foretold for her. Isbeth reinforces her fears by pressing for Poppy to fulfill her role in the prophecy, but also uses it to turn the people of Solis against someone who might otherwise be their savior. The fear inspired by the prophecy allows the Blood Queen to maintain her control as she positions herself as the only one capable of protecting her people from these horrors. However, the prophecy also forces Poppy to question who she is and her role in the world, which ultimately leads to her personal growth and self-empowerment through her resistance.
Related Titles
By Jennifer L. Armentrout
