Chapter 18 (Seventeen): Summary, Key Events, and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
After breaking into the Monster Court, Joan and her companions discover that the room they expected to hold the transformatio device contains only a recently vacated prison cell. The group flees through the luxurious suites, but Joan quickly realizes she has become separated from the others. Panicked but determined, she decides to find her own way back to the chapel.
While running, Joan nearly collides with Nick. They immediately fall into a tense physical standoff: Joan’s hand is at his neck, and his knife is pressed against her side. Nick asks if she obtained the device; she shakes her head. He accuses her of stealing human life, referencing his earlier declaration that he only kills monsters who steal human life. Joan counters by asking how he can time travel without being a monster, but Nick refuses to answer.
As guards’ shouts grow closer, Nick lowers his knife. He urges Joan to stay away from him, saying that she knows this is wrong and that monsters steal from humans. Joan responds that he is a hero and she is a monster, and that there is only one way that story ends. Nick acknowledges this and leaves.
Joan makes her way back through the dark chapel, finding the hidden door behind the cabinet. Ruth is waiting for her, and they narrowly avoid being seen by another guest. That guest, a woman in robes, mentions buying a vase in Babylon, revealing that a round trip to that ancient city would cost nearly eight thousand years of human life. Joan reflects on the stolen artifacts around her—vases, necklaces, statues—and wonders if they are all stolen human technology. Ruth then reports that guards are swarming the gate, trapping them inside the palace.
Key Events
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Joan and her companions find an empty prison cell instead of the transformatio device, forcing a hasty retreat.
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Joan loses track of the others and runs alone through the palace.
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She encounters Nick in a physical standoff; both have the means to kill each other.
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Nick accuses Joan of stealing human life, and she questions how he can time travel without being a monster.
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Nick lowers his knife and pleads with Joan to stay away from him, then departs as guards approach.
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Joan reunites with Ruth in the chapel, where a guest’s casual mention of a trip to Babylon reveals the enormous human cost of such travel.
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Ruth informs Joan that the gate is swarming with guards, leaving them trapped inside.
Character Development
Joan is forced to confront the moral weight of her actions. She initially considers killing Nick to avenge her family, but she cannot bring herself to do it. Her internal struggle—wanting to kill him, yet hesitating—shows her growing awareness of the cost of violence. She also begins to see the Monster Court’s opulence through Nick’s eyes, questioning whether the artifacts around her are stolen human creations. This marks a shift from her earlier single-minded focus on saving her family to a broader recognition of the systemic theft that defines monster society.
Nick remains enigmatic but reveals a vulnerable side. He lowers his knife despite the danger, and his plea for Joan to stay away from him suggests genuine care, even as he maintains his mission. His refusal to explain his time-travel ability reinforces his role as a mysterious hero figure, but his raw voice and shadow of agony indicate that his choices are not easy.
Ruth demonstrates loyalty and practicality. She waits for Joan, covers their escape, and delivers the grim news about the guards. Her presence grounds Joan, even as Joan briefly wonders what it would be like if they were on opposite sides—a thought she quickly suppresses.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Stolen time as currency is central to this chapter. The guest’s casual mention of a trip to Babylon—costing nearly eight thousand years of human life—makes the abstract concept visceral. Joan’s realization that the palace’s marvels are likely stolen human technology reinforces the idea that monster society is built on exploitation.
The hero vs. monster dichotomy is explored through Joan and Nick’s confrontation. Joan explicitly names the roles: “You’re a hero and I’m a monster.” Yet their interaction blurs the line, as Joan hesitates to kill and Nick shows mercy. The chapter questions whether these labels are fixed or chosen.
Frozen time imagery appears in the frozen Thames and unmoving trees, mirroring Joan’s own paralysis in the standoff. The image of being trapped—both physically in the palace and emotionally in her role—reinforces the theme of entrapment.
Stolen artifacts serve as a symbol of the monsters’ parasitic relationship with humanity. Joan’s slow realization that the gifts for the King are likely stolen human creations deepens her moral unease.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point in Joan’s moral journey. Her confrontation with Nick forces her to confront the reality of what she has done—stealing human life—and to question the society she is fighting to save. The revelation about the cost of time travel, delivered through the casual remark about Babylon, makes the stakes concrete and horrifying. The chapter also deepens the romantic and ideological tension between Joan and Nick, setting up future conflicts. Finally, the trap at the gate raises the immediate stakes, leaving Joan and Ruth trapped in the heart of enemy territory.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Joan hesitate to kill Nick, even though she believes he killed her family?
Joan hesitates because she realizes that killing Nick would require her to steal his time, making her no better than the monsters she despises. She also still has feelings for him, as evidenced by her fleeting thought of kissing him. Her inability to act shows that she is not fully committed to the cycle of violence, even when revenge seems justified.
2. What does the guest’s mention of buying a vase in Babylon reveal about monster society?
It reveals that time travel is not a casual convenience but a horrific act of theft. A round trip to Babylon costs nearly eight thousand years of human life, yet the woman treats it as a trivial shopping trip. This highlights how normalized and invisible the exploitation of humans is within monster culture.
3. How does the chapter use the setting to reinforce Joan’s sense of entrapment?
The palace is filled with luxurious suites and stolen artifacts, but Joan is trapped inside it, unable to escape because guards swarm the gate. The frozen Thames outside mirrors her own paralysis in the standoff with Nick. The setting shifts from a place of wonder to a gilded cage, emphasizing that Joan is caught between her mission and her moral awakening.
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