One of the things that I find interesting about this series and makes the analytical side of my brain giddy with exitement is the huge amount of references to real-world mythologies crammed into the text.
The very first word in the story is ‘Myrddin’ - The famous sorceror of Welsh legend, and I have noticed more references to that particular legend both overt and subtle. Ennis Naught asking for an apple, for instance. This is a weird choice of food for a prisoner to ask for and I suspect it may be a reference to the Isle of Apples, said to be the final resting place of Arthur Pendragon.
I’ve also noticed almost everything concering Siobhan seems absolutely steeped in faerie lore. Eveything about the Raven Queen’s overblown reputation, Her capricious nature, the wierd powers attributed to her and the way her followers respond by wanting to placate her with offerings is reminiscent of how the Aes Sidhe are depicted. Even her name brings to mind the Cat Sidhe - Sometimes called the King of Cats.
Siobhan’s actions also make me think of The Morrigan - The Irish goddess whose name can be translated as The Queen of Nightmares. A shape-shifter with three faces who often takes the form of a crow and once ended a battle by reciting a poem prophesising the end of the world.
There are a number of details in the story that stand out for be a little out of place - like Ennis asking for an apple, and like the ward protecting the journals requiring a verbal invitation when all other authentication wards in the University appear to rely on a physical token. The concepts of invitations and thresholds is a common to many folklores and while I may be overthinking things slightly I suspect that some of these references are not just for flavour but might be clues as to what is going on and potentially foreshadowing of future events. The allusions to faerie lore have certainly made me wonder at the significance of Siobhan identifying herself as a changeling.
While I have some vague familiarity with the various folklores of the british isles, I know very little of the mythologies of other cultures and Azalea casts her net wide. I recognise some allusions to greek mythology with the Charybdis and reference to Icarus in a chapter title (which did infact turn out to be a not-so-subtle foreshadowing of disaster).
Has anyone noticed any other interesting subtle references to real world folklore that may or may not have implications for the story?