The Devils – Chapter 47: Vows – Summary & 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

The group arrives at the abandoned Abbey of Saint Demetrius, a ruin sealed by both Pope and Patriarch under pain of excommunication. They enter regardless. Inside, Brother Diaz struggles to suppress his attraction to Vigga, seeking refuge in the chapel to pray. He confesses his failing faith and desire, but Vigga follows and offers to share a blanket. Diaz initially refuses, citing his vows. Despite his resolve, the next morning Princess Alexia discovers them sleeping together, Diaz naked except for his holy vial. Alex is shocked and confronts Diaz about breaking his vows. He stammers a failed explanation. Alex eventually offers a sardonic forgiveness, admitting she envies his willingness to seize comfort. The chapter ends with a moment of understanding: both characters acknowledge how the journey has changed them.

Key Events

The company reaches the sealed Abbey of Saint Demetrius; Alex, Diaz, and the others ignore the excommunication warning and enter.
Diaz explores the chapel, prays for guidance, and confesses his overpowering temptation toward Vigga.
Vigga offers to share her blanket for the night; Diaz initially refuses but later succumbs.
Alex discovers them together at dawn, reacts with shock and disappointment.
Diaz attempts to explain but fails; Alex forgives him while remarking on her own lack of courage to seek comfort.
A brief exchange reveals mutual growth: Diaz compliments Alex’s leadership, and she admits she is “still a piece of shit” but can read and write.

Character Development

Brother Diaz: His internal conflict deepens. He acknowledges his hypocrisy and the fraying of his vows, yet he cannot resist Vigga. The chapter marks a turning point: Diaz stops pretending to be a faithful monk and confronts his desires openly, though with guilt.
Princess Alexia: She shows more emotional depth and maturity. Initially shocked, she quickly moves to a pragmatic, almost weary forgiveness. Her admission of jealousy and her self-deprecating humour signal personal growth and a shift away from her earlier suspicious, guarded nature.
Sister Sunny: Remains unflappable and observant. Her dry comment that “Vigga gets in everywhere” underscores her pragmatic acceptance of human (and inhuman) nature.
Vigga: Unapologetic and straightforward. She offers comfort without pretense, and her lack of shame highlights Diaz’s moral struggle. Her character is consistent: honest about her nature even when it causes scandal.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Temptation and Vows: Diaz’s monastic vows are tested and broken. The chapter contrasts the strictures of religion with the raw pull of physical desire. The setting—a ruined abbey that was once a place of healing and discipline—mirrors Diaz’s own crumbling piety.
Hypocrisy and Self-Awareness: Diaz is painfully aware of his failure; his prayer quickly becomes a wheedling complaint. He admits he is “the pretence of a monk.” The chapter suggests that true faith is not about perfection but about struggling with imperfection.
Comfort in Adversity: Both Vigga and Alex, in different ways, embrace small comforts. Alex’s remark about grabbing “any shred of comfort” points to the survival instinct that drives every character on this perilous journey.
Change Through Travel: Diaz reflects that “nobody comes through a journey like this one quite the same.” The hardship of the road strips away pretense and forces characters to confront who they really are.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 47 crystallises Diaz’s internal crisis and irrevocably alters his relationship with the group. The discovery of his liaison with Vigga breaks any remaining illusion of his moral authority. Yet the chapter also deepens Alex’s character, showing her capacity for forgiveness and her own hidden longing for freedom. The scene reaffirms a central theme of The Devils: that survival in a brutal world often requires shedding the rules that once defined you. The chapter’s title, “Vows,” carries bitter irony, as every character is shown to be bound by—or breaking—promises of one kind or another.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Diaz initially refuse Vigga’s offer but then give in?
Diaz is torn between his religious vows and his physical desire. He genuinely tries to resist, seeking divine guidance in the chapel and telling Vigga it “can’t happen again.” However, his willpower is already eroded by the journey’s hardships and his growing attraction. His eventual surrender shows that his faith has become a hollow habit, unable to withstand real temptation.

2. What does Alex’s reaction to the discovery tell us about her character?
Alex is shocked and disappointed, but she quickly moves to a reluctant forgiveness. She calls herself a thief whose forgiveness is worth little, revealing her low self-esteem and cynicism. Yet her admission of jealousy—that Diaz grabbed comfort while she hasn’t—shows a vulnerable, human side. She is evolving from a guarded princess into someone who can acknowledge her own desires and failings.

3. How does the ruined abbey serve as a symbol in this chapter?
The abbey of Saint Demetrius, once a place of healing and pious discipline, is now crumbling, forgotten, and sealed by the highest religious authorities. It mirrors Diaz’s own spiritual ruin: his vows are broken, his faith is weak, and the holy space becomes the scene of his transgression. The abbey’s decay represents the collapse of the moral framework Diaz once clung to.