Chapter 24: In Circles – Summary 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
Vigga, Sunny, and Jakob each wander through disorienting, repeating hallways that blend memory and illusion. Vigga relives her violent branding after a werewolf attack, while Sunny experiences a masked ball where she is utterly invisible to the revellers. Jakob is haunted by battlefields of past wars and the faces of comrades he killed. Meanwhile, Balthazar works a dangerous ritual to break his magical binding, struggling to suppress nausea and keep his conjurer’s circles from exploding. The severed head babbles fragments of the others’ fears. As Balthazar forces more power into the spell, the rooms invert and the characters lose touch with reality. The chapter ends with Sunny crumpled in a corner, feeling unseen—her worst fear confirmed.
Key Events
- Vigga becomes listless while her companions squabble; she flashbacks to being dragged and tattooed by her village after a werewolf attack.
- Sunny climbs to a gallery and finds the others gone; she later appears at a masked ball where no one notices her.
- Jakob limps through inverted rooms, encountering dead Templars like Szymon and Elzbieta, whom he remembers strangling.
- Balthazar performs two simultaneous rituals: one to suppress nausea, another to break the binding, nearly overloading the circles.
- The severed head utters phrases from Vigga’s memory (“I’ll be good”) and Jakob’s despair (“There is no right door”).
- Rooms flip upside down; the party members are separated, each trapped in a personalized nightmare.
Character Development
- Vigga shows vulnerability beneath her bluntness. Her memory of the branding reveals shame and a longing for acceptance; she admits she was “never good at taking advice.”
- Sunny craves connection but is haunted by her own invisibility. Her fantasy of a party where she is ignored mirrors her real fear of being a non-person. She wishes to be seen, not just invisible.
- Jakob is crushed by guilt. He cannot escape the faces of those he executed, especially Elzbieta. His leadership role forces him to hide doubt, but the illusion exposes his inner collapse.
- Balthazar is ambitious and reckless. He risks a magical explosion to prove his genius to rivals. His contempt for illusionists is ironic given the hallucinatory maze he inadvertently creates.
- Brother Diaz and Alex are bystanders who sense danger but are powerless; Diaz prays to Saint Beatrix, underscoring his desperation.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Illusion and Memory: The maze blurs past and present. Each character’s path is shaped by their worst memories—the branding, the battles, the party rejection. The illusion is not purely external; it is a projection of guilt.
- Invisibility: Sunny’s constant state of being unseen—both in the circus and in the ball—literalizes her marginalisation. The motif questions identity: if no one sees you, do you exist?
- The Severed Head as a Conduit: The head speaks fragments from multiple minds, symbolising how trauma echoes across the group. Balthazar cannot control what leaks through.
- Ritual Danger: Balthazar’s near-overloaded circles represent the peril of hubristic magic. The threat of an explosion (“two and a half reasonably prosperous streets”) warns of catastrophic consequences when power is mishandled.
- Circular Traps: The repetition of halls, rooms, and conversations traps the characters in cycles of regret. “In Circles” applies to both the physical maze and their psychological spirals.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point. It shifts the narrative from external threats to internal demons, revealing what each character fears most. The illusion maze forces Vigga, Sunny, and Jakob to confront the parts of themselves they normally suppress. Balthazar’s reckless ritual also raises the stakes for the entire city of Zizka. The chapter establishes that the party cannot simply fight their way out—they must first face who they have been. It deepens the theme that the real monsters are not elves or sorcerers, but the memories and choices they cannot outrun.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does the illusion maze reflect each character’s guilt?
Vigga relives her branding because she believes she is a danger to others. Jakob sees the Templars he killed because he cannot forgive his own ruthlessness. Sunny is invisible at the party because she has always felt like a freak. The maze uses their own memories to paralyse them.
2. Why is Balthazar so determined to break the binding alone?
He sees it as a chance to prove his superiority over rivals like Covorin and Zizka. His monologue reveals deep resentment and a desire to be recognised as a great magician. He is also terrified of failing publicly.
3. What does Sunny’s masked ball fantasy tell us about her character?
Sunny craves normalcy and social belonging, but her self-image (her “appalling” face) prevents it. Her anger and sadness at being ignored show that she desires connection even while believing she does not deserve it. Her inability to blush in reality contrasts with her fantasy—she can only experience emotions when she imagines being seen.