Chapter 7 (Chapter II): Summary, Analysis, and Key Takeaways
⚠️ 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
Kylie boards a flight to London, determined to break the curse that has left Gideon in a coma. She spends the overnight journey reading The Book of the Raven, a dark grimoire written by Amelia Bassano. The book burns her hands, so she wears gloves from the library. Its pages contain instructions for left-handed magic, including how to break curses, but the final two pages are stuck together. Kylie struggles to open them, sensing the book will only reveal its secrets to someone it deems worthy.
After landing, she checks into a shabby hotel in Bayswater. In her room, she draws a pentacle of Solomon on the floor, burns sage and sandalwood, and cuts her hand to add her own blood to the fire. The smoke turns red, marking the ceiling, and she feels she has opened a door to the left-hand path. She then visits a magic shop near Covent Garden, where she asks about the Crooked Path. The owner, Helene Jones, is dismissive, but a clerk named Edward offers to sell information. Kylie pays him twenty dollars, and he tells her about the Invisible Library near Lancaster Gate.
At the library, Kylie knocks and is admitted by the librarian, David Ward, despite not being a member. She shows him The Book of the Raven, and he recognizes it as a work by Amelia Bassano. They research the Owens family records together. Kylie reveals she is cursed, and David explains that witchcraft is a bloodline inheritance. They find that her ancestor Hannah Owens was accused of witchcraft in the 1640s, jailed, and later murdered by Thomas Lockland, who claimed she had cursed his family. The records show that the Lockland family has carried a curse blamed on Hannah ever since. The most recent Lockland still lives in Thornfield.
Kylie decides to go to Thornfield to confront him. David gives her fifty pounds and warns her not to trust anyone. She leaves, taking a taxi to the train station, determined to find a way to break the curse before it's too late.
Key Events
- Kylie reads The Book of the Raven on the flight, learning the principles of left-handed magic and the importance of courage.
n- She performs a blood ritual in her hotel room, summoning Hecate and committing herself to the Crooked Path.
n- She pays Edward for information about the Invisible Library.
n- David Ward admits her to the library and helps her research her family history.
n- They discover Hannah Owens's trial and murder, and the curse placed on the Lockland family.
n- Kylie learns that the current Lockland lives in Thornfield and decides to go there.
n- David gives her money and a warning: “Don’t trust anyone.”
Character Development
Kylie undergoes significant growth in this chapter. Initially, she is uncertain of her magical abilities, having been raised to reject them. But as she reads The Book of the Raven and performs the ritual, she begins to embrace her inherited power. She acknowledges the “sight” she has always had—seeing auras and predicting weather—and now understands it as a real gift. Her determination to save Gideon drives her to take risks, such as cutting her hand and paying for information. She also shows resilience when she refuses to be intimidated by the librarian's suggestion that she donate the book.
David Ward is a complex figure. He is a man haunted by his past, having lost a daughter and dabbled in dark magic himself. He recognizes Kylie's desperation and offers help, but his warning reflects his own bitter experience. He is both a mentor and a cautionary figure, embodying the cost of the left-hand path.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Left-handed magic and the Crooked Path: The chapter introduces the concept of left-handed magic as a dangerous, often corrupting force. Kylie's ritual and her willingness to use blood and fire symbolize her descent into this world.
n- Trust and betrayal: The book's mantra “Trust was for fools” recurs. Kylie is wary of everyone, from Edward to David, and David's final warning reinforces the theme that trust is a luxury she cannot afford.
n- Bloodline magic and inheritance: David explains that witchcraft is not a choice but a bloodline situation. Kylie's discovery of Hannah Owens connects her to a legacy of persecution and power.
n- Libraries as sanctuary: The Invisible Library is a haven of knowledge and safety, contrasting with the hostile outside world. It represents the power of research and the preservation of history.
n- The price of knowledge: Kylie pays for information, both literally and metaphorically. The book's pages burn her, and the ritual costs her blood. Knowledge comes at a cost, and the chapter emphasizes that breaking a curse will require sacrifice.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is pivotal because it moves Kylie from passive victim to active seeker. She takes concrete steps to break the curse, learns the true nature of her family's history, and identifies the source of the curse in the Lockland family. The revelation that Hannah Owens was murdered by a Lockland sets up the central conflict of the novel: Kylie must confront the descendant of her ancestor's killer. The chapter also deepens the world-building, introducing the Invisible Library and the history of witch trials, and establishes David Ward as a potential ally or tragic figure. Kylie's commitment to the left-hand path raises the stakes, as she risks losing herself in the very magic she seeks to undo.
Study Questions and Answers
- Why does Kylie perform a blood ritual in her hotel room, and what does it signify?
n
Kylie performs the ritual to summon Hecate and gain direction in her quest. By adding her own blood to the fire, she symbolically commits herself to left-handed magic, accepting the risks and costs. It signifies her willingness to do whatever it takes to save Gideon, even if it means embracing a dangerous path.
- How does David Ward's warning “Don’t trust anyone” reflect his own history?
n
David has been “ruined by magic and love,” having lost a daughter and made a bargain using dark art. His warning stems from his personal experience that trust can lead to betrayal and loss. He knows the dangers of the left-hand path and wants to protect Kylie from making the same mistakes.
- What does the discovery of Hannah Owens's story reveal about the curse?
n
The records show that Hannah was accused of witchcraft, jailed, and murdered by Thomas Lockland, who claimed she had cursed his family. The curse has been passed down through the Lockland line, and Kylie learns that her family and the Locklands are intertwined. This suggests that breaking the curse may require confronting the Lockland descendant and possibly undoing the original hex.
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