Ruthless Vows Questions and Answers
1. Why does Iris refuse to sign the annulment papers from Mr. Kitt? (Chapter 9: Roadster Post)
Answer: Iris throws the money to the ground and refuses to sign, defying Mr. Kitt's attempt to erase her marriage. She chooses love over class expectations and asserts her independence, even as his associate watches.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 9, Mr. Kitt sends a scarred man with an envelope containing money and a legal document annulling her marriage to Roman. Iris's refusal is a direct act of rebellion against the Kitt family's power. This moment underscores her commitment to Roman despite his memory loss and the war's chaos. It also sets up her later decision to change her byline to Iris E. Winnow, symbolizing her own identity.
Iris Winnow
2. What is the significance of the three typewriters (First, Second, Third Alouette) and how do they connect Iris and Roman? (Chapters 7, 11, 13)
Answer: The typewriters are enchanted, allowing correspondence through wardrobe doors. Iris steals the First Alouette, later learns Roman has the Third Alouette, and they communicate secretly across war lines.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 7, Iris breaks into a museum to steal the First Alouette, which holds old letters. In Chapter 11, she discovers the Third Alouette belongs to Roman, and they begin exchanging notes. The typewriters symbolize the power of written words to bridge memory loss and physical separation, echoing the novel's theme of the power of written words.
3. How does Roman's memory recovery affect his physical condition, and what does that reveal about Dacre's 'healing'? (Chapter 26: Tell Me of Iris E. Winnow)
Answer: As Roman's memories return, the pain from his wounds resurfaces, exposing Dacre's healing as incomplete and manipulative. Roman realizes Dacre healed him just enough to keep him useful and obedient.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 26, Roman notes that his pain and breathing difficulties return alongside his memories. He concludes that Dacre's magic was a bandage, not a cure, leaving him broken to maintain control. This revelation deepens the theme of memory and identity and shows Dacre's cruelty.
4. Why does Enva give Iris the sword, and what is the condition for killing Dacre? (Chapters 41, 46, 50)
Answer: Enva gives Iris an enchanted sword that can kill divines, but she cannot kill Dacre herself due to a vow. Iris must use it when Dacre is enchanted by music.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 41, Enva appears in a dream and shows Iris the sword, explaining she cannot face Dacre. In Chapter 46, Enva reveals her vow prevented her from killing him. In Chapter 50, Iris beheads Dacre while Attie plays the lullaby, fulfilling the condition. This underscores the theme of love and sacrifice and the limits of divine power.
5. What is the role of 'Alzane's Lullaby' and how does Attie use it? (Chapters 37, 50)
Answer: The lullaby can enchant Dacre, and Attie plays it on a violin to put him to sleep, allowing Iris to kill him. It is a weapon against divine power.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 37, Attie reveals a hidden violin and shares a dream of the lullaby. In Chapter 50, Attie plays it in the under realm, and Dacre succumbs, enabling Iris's strike. This ties to the theme of music as magic and control and shows how mortal art can challenge gods.
6. How does the relationship between Iris and Roman evolve from rivalry to love, and what role does correspondence play? (Chapters 1, 11, 25, 33)
Answer: They start as rivals at the Gazette, marry secretly, then lose memories, and reconnect through anonymous letters. The correspondence rebuilds their bond despite memory loss.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 11, they exchange letters as 'Elizabeth' and 'R.' In Chapter 25, Roman reveals his memories return when touching her ring, and they fall in love again. Their letters become a lifeline, reflecting the theme of the power of written words.
7. What is the significance of the wedding ring as a symbol throughout the novel? (Chapters 2, 22, 24, 36)
Answer: The ring represents their vows and connection, even when Roman forgets. Iris gives it to him as a keepsake, and later he returns it, anchoring his memory.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 22, Iris removes her ring and gives it to Roman before fleeing. In Chapter 24, touching it triggers his full memory recovery. In Chapter 36, he returns it to her. The ring symbolizes enduring love and the theme of love and sacrifice.
8. How does Forest's death affect Iris, and what does his posthumous letter reveal? (Chapters 52, 54)
Answer: Forest dies in the bombing, and later Iris finds a letter from him confessing his pride and love. She spreads his ashes on a hill, finding closure.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 52, Iris discovers Forest and Sarah dead beneath debris. In Chapter 54, she finds his letter, which reveals his growth and affection. The letter allows her to let go, highlighting the theme of war and grief.
9. What is the role of the Graveyard, and how does it reflect the war's aftermath? (Chapters 29, 51, 52)
Answer: The Graveyard is a vigilante group enforcing curfew and executing Dacre's soldiers without trial. They nearly kill Roman until Iris intervenes with proof.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 29, the Graveyard patrols Oath. In Chapter 51, they capture Roman and prepare to execute him. In Chapter 52, Iris stops the firing line with Roman's letter. The Graveyard represents the dangers of unchecked vengeance and the breakdown of order.
10. How does Dacre's manipulation of Roman's memory serve his propaganda efforts? (Chapters 4, 6, 26)
Answer: Dacre erases Roman's memories and uses him to write pro-Dacre articles, controlling the narrative. Roman's amnesia makes him a tool for propaganda.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 4, Roman wakes with fragmented memories and is forced to write for Dacre. In Chapter 26, Dacre orders him to rebut Iris's myth article. This shows how memory erasure is a tool of manipulation, tied to memory and identity.
11. What is the significance of the 'outshine' footnote in Roman's letter? (Chapter 25)
Answer: Roman defines 'outshine' as a word of endearment, showing his growing love for Iris. It becomes a private term between them.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 25, after they exchange personal answers, Roman adds a footnote defining 'outshine.' This playful intimacy marks their rekindled romance and the theme of love and sacrifice.
12. How does Enva's vow to Dacre prevent her from killing him, and what does that say about divine rules? (Chapters 46, 50)
Answer: Enva vowed never to end his immortality, so she cannot kill him. She instead sings him to sleep and later uses Iris as an instrument.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 46, Enva explains the vow in a dream, revealing its binding nature. In Chapter 50, she appears as an illusion to distract Dacre while Iris acts. This shows that even gods are bound by their promises, adding depth to the theme of love and sacrifice.
13. What is the significance of the five keys and the thresholds between worlds? (Chapters 13, 16, 30)
Answer: Dacre forged five keys that unlock doorways between the mortal world and the under realm. Roman steals one to help Iris, and later Iris obtains a key from Val.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 13, Dacre uses a key to open a wardrobe revealing a staircase. In Chapter 30, Roman sketches the ley-line map. In Chapter 46, Iris takes Val's key. The keys symbolize access to hidden power and the ability to move between realms, central to the plot.
14. How does the novel use the motif of birds (nightingale, albatross, eithral) to convey themes? (Chapters 12, 28, 49)
Answer: Nightingales symbolize captivity and freedom, albatrosses resilience, and eithrals are monstrous creatures of war. They reflect characters' struggles and the war's brutality.
Evidence and interpretation: In Chapter 12, Marisol tells a story about captive nightingales. In Chapter 28, she compares Iris to an albatross flying into storms. In Chapter 49, eithrals are Dacre's bombers. These birds reinforce themes of war and grief and music as magic.
15. What is the significance of the final scene with Enva in the epilogue? (Epilogue: Coda)
Answer: Enva descends into the under realm with her harp, choosing to leave Oath and possibly find freedom. She uses the key and unlocks the door.
Evidence and interpretation: In the epilogue, Enva touches the iron key Iris left on her altar and decides to go below. This suggests a new chapter for her, breaking her captivity to Oath. It ties to themes of memory and identity and the possibility of change after war.