Azrael in The Book of Lost Hours: Character Analysis of the First Timekeeper

Overview: The First Timekeeper as a Living Memory of the Time Space

Azrael is the spectral figure who becomes Lisavet Levy’s guide, teacher, and closest companion during her years trapped in the time space, and who later appears to Amelia Duquesne as a cryptic but crucial mentor. He is not a living person but a memory—the remnant of the very first timekeeper, a man whose name has been Forgotten by history. Lisavet gives him the name Azrael, and he accepts it with amusement, noting that it evokes the Judeo-Christian angel of death. Yet his role in the story is less about death than about preservation: he helps Lisavet learn to time walk, teaches her languages, and warns her against the dangers of altering the past. He also serves as a moral compass for other characters, including Ernest Duquesne, and ultimately becomes the linchpin of Lisavet’s final, desperate act to protect the timeline.

Azrael embodies the central tension of the novel: the desire to preserve memory versus the temptation to rewrite it. He is a memory himself, and his existence depends on the fragile remnants of his own past. He represents the time space as a physical archive of human experience, and his guidance reflects the novel’s exploration of memory as a physical archive. At the same time, his fate—being erased by Lisavet so that he never discovers the time space—raises profound questions about the ethics of controlling history and the cost of protecting those we love.

Plot Role: From Mentor to Catalyst

Azrael’s first appearance occurs in Chapter 1, when Lisavet, an eleven-year-old Jewish girl in 1938 Nuremberg, is pushed through a door into the time space by her father. She wanders the vast library of memory-books and encounters two ghostly figures: a bitter nobleman and a nameless first timekeeper. Lisavet names the latter Azrael, and he immediately takes on the role of her guide. He shows her how to walk into memories, taking her to Renaissance Italy and explaining the nature of the time space. He also warns her about the dangers of timekeepers who burn memories, and he stays by her side when she discovers that a Nazi soldier is burning her father’s memories.

Over the next six years, Azrael becomes Lisavet’s surrogate parent. He teaches her to time walk, to hide in the pages of memories, and to speak Russian, English, French, and Arabic. He steers her away from the uglier parts of history, though she often disobeys him to salvage memories that timekeepers attempt to burn. He is the one who explains the concept of being Forgotten—when timekeepers alter the past, memories change, and people are erased from existence. This lesson shapes Lisavet’s entire mission.

In 1944, Azrael sends Lisavet on her first solo time walk, which leads her to discover love memories and, later, to accidentally touch a physical object in a memory—an unprecedented event that unsettles both of them. He warns her that Americans are dangerous, foreshadowing her encounter with Ernest Duquesne. As Lisavet grows bolder and more reckless, Azrael repeatedly cautions her against rewriting the past, but she ignores him, especially after she gives birth to Amelia and begins interfering in her daughter’s life.

Azrael also interacts with Ernest Duquesne. In Chapter 18, after Vasily Stepanov’s death, Ernest confronts Azrael, demanding to know why he wasn’t told about Vasily’s fate. Azrael replies that “the truth has its own way of coming out” and that it’s not his place to meddle. He then warns Ernest not to do anything rash, pointing out that Ernest’s actions could affect Amelia. Ernest ultimately heeds this warning and asks Azrael to watch over Anton Stepanov, which Azrael silently promises to do.

In 1965, Azrael appears to Amelia in the time space. He suggests she listen for memories, which leads her to find Anton Stepanov and the blue book. Later, in Chapter 17, he explains the concept of temporal displacement—the ability to leap from one memory to another—and encourages Amelia to enter Lisavet’s memories. He tells her that “the memories of the dead only hold half of the story” and that she must walk through the memories of the living to learn the truth. This guidance is crucial for Amelia’s understanding of her own identity and her mother’s sacrifices.

Motivations and Traits: Wisdom, Caution, and a Reluctance to Meddle

Azrael’s primary motivation is to preserve the integrity of the time space and to help those who are lost within it. He is deeply wise, having accumulated centuries of knowledge as the first timekeeper. He is also cautious, often warning Lisavet and Ernest against impulsive actions. He tells Lisavet that “living is the most dangerous thing” and that knowing too much about the future can fill one with torment. He advises her to avoid the recent past, though she rarely listens.

His caution stems from his own experience. As the first timekeeper, he discovered the time space through sundials and meditations, and the Romans stole his secrets before killing him. He was then Forgotten—not completely erased, but reduced to a spectral memory. This history makes him acutely aware of the consequences of meddling with time. He tells Ernest, “It’s not my place to meddle,” yet he does intervene when he sees that Ernest’s anger could lead to disaster. He is not omniscient; he admits he assumed Ernest already knew about Vasily’s death. He is also compassionate, as seen when he comforts Lisavet after she rescues her father’s charred book, and when he gently guides Amelia toward the truth.

Azrael’s traits are shown through his actions. He teaches Lisavet languages and time walking, demonstrating patience and generosity. He warns her about Nazi timekeepers, showing his protective nature. He stays by her side when she cries over her father’s memories, showing empathy. He also respects her autonomy, even when he disagrees with her choices. When Lisavet tells him she will interfere in Amelia’s life, he warns her that “bad things will always happen” and that she can’t protect her daughter from all of them, but he does not try to stop her. This respect for free will is a defining characteristic.

Chronological Arc: From First Timekeeper to Final Erasure

Azrael’s arc spans millennia, though the novel reveals it in fragments. He was once a mortal man, likely from a Mediterranean region, who discovered the time space through meditation and sundials. He became the first timekeeper, and the Romans, upon conquering his people, forced him to teach them the secrets of the time space before killing him. He was then Forgotten—not completely erased, but left as a spectral memory in the time space, without a book of his own.

In 1938, he meets Lisavet and becomes her mentor. Over the next six years, he guides her through history, teaching her to salvage memories and to understand the nature of the time space. He witnesses her transformation from a frightened child to a determined young woman. In 1944, he sends her on her first solo time walk, and in 1946, he warns her about the American timekeeper Ernest Duquesne.

In 1950, Lisavet gives birth to Amelia and begins interfering in her daughter’s life. Azrael repeatedly warns her to stop, but she refuses. In 1952, timekeepers capture Lisavet, and she is forced out of the time space. Azrael remains, a silent presence.

In 1965, Azrael appears to Amelia, guiding her toward Anton and the blue book. He explains temporal displacement and encourages her to enter Lisavet’s memories. This is his final act of mentorship.

In Chapter 22, Lisavet re-enters the time space after thirteen years and reunites with Azrael. She tells him that Amelia is safe and that she plans to stop Ernest from sealing the time space. After Ernest is dragged through a door, Lisavet confronts Amelia, then pushes her into the chasm. Remaining inside, Lisavet uses the book of forgotten names to erase Azrael’s memory. She travels back two thousand years to a cliff where Azrael, still mortal, is watching Roman ships approach. She pushes him off the cliff, preventing him from ever discovering the time space. As the time space collapses around her, Azrael’s memory disintegrates, and he ceases to exist.

This arc is tragic: the first timekeeper, who spent centuries preserving memories, is ultimately erased to protect the timeline. His death is not a violent end but a quiet unmaking, and he seems to accept it. When Lisavet asks if death is empty, he replies, “No, my child. There’s no emptiness in death. You simply move on. Your consciousness continues, creating and re-creating your happiest moments.” He faces his erasure with the same wisdom he showed in life.

Relationships: Father Figure, Confidant, and Guide

Azrael’s most significant relationship is with Lisavet. He becomes the closest thing she has to a parent, taking care of her in lieu of her father. He teaches her, protects her, and offers her a sense of stability in an otherwise chaotic existence. Their bond is deep, but it is also strained by Lisavet’s recklessness. She often ignores his warnings, and in Chapter 10, she snaps at him, telling him she doesn’t need his help. He responds with sadness, not anger, and continues to care for her.

With Ernest, Azrael is a more distant figure. He introduces Ernest to Vasily Stepanov, and he later warns Ernest against rash actions. He also asks Ernest to watch over Anton, showing that he cares about the next generation. His relationship with Ernest is one of mutual respect, though Azrael is often cryptic.

With Amelia, Azrael is a guide who appears at key moments. He does not have a personal history with her, but he recognizes her unique abilities—her ability to stop time and to access living memories. He encourages her to trust her own judgment, and he helps her uncover the truth about her mother.

Azrael’s relationship with the time space itself is symbiotic. He is a memory of the time space, and he exists only because a fragment of his own memory remains. He is both a part of the archive and a guardian of it. This duality is central to his character.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Azrael makes several key decisions that shape the narrative. His decision to help Lisavet when she first arrives in the time space sets her on her path as a memory salvager. He teaches her the skills she needs to survive and to eventually become a powerful timekeeper. His decision to warn Ernest against rash action after Vasily’s death prevents Ernest from exposing himself and potentially endangering Amelia. His decision to guide Amelia toward the truth about her mother allows Amelia to understand her own identity and to ultimately choose a different path.

His most consequential decision is to accept his own erasure. When Lisavet tells him she plans to erase his memory and prevent his discovery of the time space, he does not resist. He seems to have known it was coming, and he faces it with grace. This decision allows Lisavet to protect the timeline and to ensure that the time space is never discovered, but it also means the loss of the first timekeeper’s wisdom.

Themes and Symbolism

Azrael is a powerful symbol of memory and its fragility. He is a memory that has been partially erased, and his existence depends on the remnants of his own past. He represents the idea that memories are the “realest thing any of us have,” as he tells Lisavet. His role as a guide underscores the novel’s theme of identity as a construct of memory: Azrael’s identity is defined by what remains of his memories, and his name is a gift from Lisavet, not a reflection of his original self.

He also embodies the ethics of controlling history. As the first timekeeper, he discovered the time space and inadvertently enabled others to manipulate memories. His erasure by Lisavet is a deliberate act of historical revision, raising questions about whether such control is ever justified. His fate suggests that even the most well-intentioned attempts to protect the past can have devastating consequences.

Azrael’s name, chosen by Lisavet, connects him to death, but his role is more about preservation. He is the angel of death in the sense that he oversees the end of memories, but he also helps to keep them alive. This duality reflects the novel’s exploration of love and the burden of secrets: Azrael keeps the secret of his own past, and he helps others keep theirs, even when it leads to tragedy.

Questions and Answers

1. Why does Lisavet name the first timekeeper Azrael?

Lisavet chooses the name because she needs to call him something, and she is struck by his appearance and demeanor. He notes that Azrael is the Judeo-Christian angel of death, calling it “a bit on the nose,” but he accepts it, saying he rather thinks it suits him. The name reflects his role as a guide to the afterlife of memories.

1. What is Azrael’s origin as the first timekeeper?

Azrael explains that he was the very first timekeeper, having discovered the time space through sundials and meditations before the Romans conquered his people. The Romans stole his secrets and killed him, but they did not erase him completely, leaving him as a spectral memory in the time space.

1. How does Azrael guide Amelia in the time space?

In Chapter 9, Azrael appears to Amelia and suggests she listen for memories, which leads her to find Anton and the blue book. In Chapter 17, he explains temporal displacement and encourages her to enter Lisavet’s memories, telling her that the memories of the dead only hold half the story and that she must walk through the memories of the living.

1. What does Azrael warn Ernest about?

After Vasily Stepanov’s death, Ernest confronts Azrael, and Azrael warns him not to do anything rash, pointing out that Ernest’s actions could affect Amelia. He tells Ernest to think it through, and Ernest ultimately heeds the warning, asking Azrael to watch over Anton.

1. What happens to Azrael at the end of the book?

Lisavet erases Azrael’s memory using the book of forgotten names and travels back two thousand years to push him off a cliff before he discovers the time space. This prevents his existence as the first timekeeper, and the time space collapses around her. Azrael accepts his fate, having known it was coming, and his memory disintegrates as the time space turns to stars.