The Everlasting Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters, and Themes

Test your knowledge of Alix E. Harrow's The Everlasting with this 20-question quiz covering plot, character motivation, themes, and symbols. Each question is drawn from the novel's full arc, from Owen's discovery of the legendary book to the final confrontation at the beginning of time. For deeper context, see the book overview, questions and answers, and ending explained. The answer key follows the questions, with brief explanations grounded in the text. Good luck!

(Note: This quiz assumes you have read the entire novel.)

Plot and Sequence Questions (8)

What object does Owen Mallory receive in the mail at the start of the novel?

A) A letter from his father

B) A book titled The Death of Una Everlasting

C) A sword called Valiance

D) A map to Cloven Hill

At what age does Owen first run away from home and find a children's book about Sir Una?

(Short answer)

How does Vivian Rolfe make the blank pages of the book reveal text?

A) She reads a spell

B) She spills ink on them

C) She stabs Owen's hand and his blood touches the pages

D) She burns the edges

After Una slays the dragon, what does she bring back?

(Short answer)

What does Vivian reveal about the book's purpose in Chapter 14?

A) It is a weapon to kill dragons

B) It is a time-travel device that sends historians back to witness Una's death

C) It is a fake artifact

D) It is a diary of Una

What are the names of Owen and Una's children?

(Short answer)

How does Owen die in the final confrontation at the beginning of time?

A) Una kills him

B) Vivian shoots him

C) He cuts his own throat to free Una from the cycle

D) He is killed by the dragon

What does Una do with the seed from the dragon's heart after Owen's death?

(Short answer)

Character Motivation Questions (5)

Why does Owen initially decide to enlist in the war?

A) To escape his father

B) To follow a recruiting poster of Una

C) To earn money

D) To prove his bravery

What is Una's primary motivation for undertaking the quest to slay the dragon and find the grail?

(Short answer)

Why does Vivian Rolfe orchestrate the entire cycle of Una's death and resurrection?

A) To create a national myth that maintains her power

B) To honor Una's memory

C) To find the grail

D) To punish Owen

How does Ancel ultimately help Owen and Una?

(Short answer)

Why does Professor Sawbridge become a regime loyalist in the later timeline?

A) She believes in the cause

B) Vivian took her partner Sylvie as leverage

C) She is brainwashed

D) She wants power

Theme and Symbol Questions (4)

What does the ouroboros symbol (dragon eating its tail) represent in the novel?

A) The cycle of life and death

B) The endless repetition of history

C) The power of dragons

D) The unity of opposites

What does the yew tree symbolize throughout the novel?

(Short answer)

What does the grail represent in the story?

A) The ultimate treasure

B) A symbol of national unity and healing

C) A weapon against dragons

D) A personal keepsake

What does the scar on Owen's left hand represent?

(Short answer)

Synthesis Questions (3)

How does the novel use time travel to explore the theme of free will versus fate?

(Short answer)

Which character best represents the idea that love can be both a chain and a liberation?

A) Vivian

B) Una

C) Owen

D) Ancel

What is the significance of the word 'Yew' as a homophone for 'you' in the novel?

(Short answer)

Answer Key

B – Owen receives a book titled The Death of Una Everlasting in the mail, a book experts believe does not exist (Chapter 1).
Nine – At age nine, Owen runs away after hearing his father called a coward and finds a children's book about Sir Una (Chapter 2).
C – Vivian stabs Owen's hand with a letter opener, and his blood spreads across the blank pages, revealing the text (Chapter 3).
The golden grail – Una returns from Cloven Hill carrying the grail, which she later gives to Vivian (Chapter 7).
B – Vivian explains that the book is a time-travel device that sends historians back to witness Una's death, ensuring the story is recorded (Chapter 14).
Marro and Thea – Their son is named Marro, after the river where Owen's mother died, and their daughter Thea, after one of Una's fathers (Chapter 24).
C – Owen deliberately turns his head into Vivian's knife, killing himself to free Una from the cycle (Chapter 24).
She plants it in Owen's chest and waits beneath the yew – Una plants the seed in Owen's chest, buries him, and lies down beside the grave to wait (Chapter 25).
B – Owen sees a recruiting poster of Una and enlists, driven by his desire to become like her (Chapter 2).
To heal Queen Yvanne and fulfill her duty as a knight – Una is summoned by the queen and undertakes the quest to find the grail, which is said to heal the queen (Chapter 5).
A – Vivian orchestrates the cycle to create a national myth that cements her power; she admits she staged the theft of the crown and grail to set up a prophecy (Chapter 14).
He tosses the book to Owen, allowing them to escape – In the final battle, Ancel, holding the book, throws it to Owen instead of Vivian, urging them to flee (Chapter 23).
B – Vivian took Professor Sawbridge's partner Sylvie as leverage, forcing Sawbridge to become a loyalist (Chapter 21).
B – The ouroboros, a dragon eating its tail, symbolizes the endless repetition of history and the cyclical nature of the story (Chapter 1, Chapter 24).
The yew tree symbolizes sanctuary, rebirth, and the anchor of time – It serves as a time-travel anchor, a place of refuge, and a symbol of memory and renewal (Chapters 17, 24, 26).
B – The grail represents national unity and healing, but it is also manipulated as a tool of propaganda by Vivian (Chapters 7, 14).
The scar represents memory and sacrifice – It is a mark of Owen's blood pact with the book and his repeated cycles, symbolizing the body's memory of pain and love (Chapter 14).
The novel shows characters trapped in a predetermined cycle orchestrated by Vivian, but they break free through conscious choices, suggesting that individual agency can overcome fate – Owen's self-sacrifice and Una's refusal to die for Vivian demonstrate that free will can disrupt the scripted narrative (Chapters 24–25).
B – Una's love for Owen leads her to sacrifice herself repeatedly, but it also liberates her from Vivian's control, as she ultimately chooses to break the cycle (Chapters 24–25).
The word 'Yew' as a homophone for 'you' emphasizes themes of belonging and identity – Owen reflects on where home might be, evoking the woods and the word 'Yew,' suggesting that home is tied to a person (Una) rather than a place (Chapter 15).