The ​Crown of Gilded Bones

“Kieran’s growl deepened, and an emotion I’d never felt from him before poured into me. It was like anger, but older. And it felt like that buzz in my blood had. Ancient. Primal.”

This observation of Poppy’s demonstrates that Kieran’s bond causes him to undergo drastic changes. Typically level-headed, Kiernan adopts more of Cas’s hot temper as the wolven bond compels him to protect Poppy. The author’s offhand yet strategic use of the world “primal” also foreshadows Poppy’s own future revelation that she has “Primal” blood within her, fueling her own powers.

“I tasted bitter, sweat-drenched fear and the hot acidic burn of hatred. I didn’t try to stop it.”

Poppy’s ability to feel people’s emotions materializes through her senses. Unlike Cas, who rarely uses compulsion to control those around him, Poppy uses her abilities at will, wanting to understand and empathize with others.

“You’ve chosen things for yourself longer than you realize, Poppy—longer than you give yourself credit for. You always did when it mattered the most, and did so knowing the consequences.”

When speaking with Cas about her past, Poppy rebrands the way she thinks about previous traumatic events. She realizes that she is a survivor, not a victim, and as such, she has gained a valuable moral compass. The contemplative tone of this scene also highlights the intimate emotional bond between the two characters.

“[M]y gaze lifting to the trees as we entered the woods. The tops were deformed, the limbs twisted downward as if a great hand had landed over top of them, attempting to push them into the ground.”

Armentrout weaves elements of the fantasy genre into her fictional world, which often resembles reality. By starting with realistic details instead of fantastical ones, the author can dedicate more of her novel to character development, conflict, and romance elements.

“Those Craven may have been the ones to tear into her skin, but it was ultimately you who is responsible for her pain—for the scars both visible and hidden. For that alone, I should kill you.”

Though Poppy’s scars, both seen and unseen, never bother Cas, he validates her dislike of them, demonstrating understanding and empathy for her feelings. Ultimately, however, Poppy’s disappearing scars symbolize her renewed ownership of her identity.

“‘Foursomes?’ Kieran repeated, his gaze shifting to me. ‘I imagine you had a lot of questions about that.’ ‘I did not,’ I snapped.”

Kieran frequently adds comic relief to an otherwise serious drama. With this facetious comment, Kieran’s character establishes the fact that the sexual elements of this romance novel often push the boundaries of what is typically considered ordinary for a traditional love story.

“Only you control your actions. Not your blood—not your bloodline. Alastir was wrong.”

Cas continuously reiterates to Poppy that her free will trumps her destiny, adding to the novel’s conversation about the evolution of identity and destiny. He supports Poppy in recognizing her destiny while choosing her own path forward.

“‘This is about you, about what you’re comfortable with and what you want,’ he continued. ‘No one is going to force this choice on you. It will be your call.’”

Though Cas, Eloana, and Valyn need Poppy to accept her title as queen to avoid Atlantian civil war, none of them feel comfortable in forcing the role on her. Moreover, the royal family wants Poppy to feel motivated to accept the crown because she loves Atlantia. This aspect of the plot highlights the evolution of identity and destiny.

“You have more experience than you realize. You proved that in the hunting cabin when you spoke of power and influence. You paid attention when you wore the veil. More than any of the Royals ever noticed.”

Cas helps Poppy to rebrand her traumatic past, seeing herself as a survivor instead of a victim. Although he wishes that she never suffered, he cannot change the past, and he helps Poppy to focus on the strengths she has earned from the abuse she endured.

“Having children was never something I’d ever considered, so it wasn’t something that lingered in my mind. But now it was dancing at the center. A baby. Babies. Casteel’s and my baby. Casteel holding a small, swaddled infant.”

Poppy allows herself to consider a future beyond the immediate threats of war. Doing so adds layers to her character, forming new motivations and traits the author highlights the possibility of Poppy and Cas becoming parents.

“‘If I take the Crown, the arrow and sword will be equal,’ I returned. ‘A King and Queen should be of equal power, no matter what blood courses through their veins.’”

Poppy’s preference for the Atlantian crest symbolizes her egalitarian leadership style and represents her character traits. Although she is a goddess, Poppy does not hold herself above any other character, and this distinctive character trait highlights her inherent integrity.

“I still wanted their acceptance, but what was done to me had been done to both of us. We hadn’t chosen to be put into that situation.”

Although Poppy celebrates her freedom to control her choices and actions, she recognizes that a significant part of her and Cas’s identity is dictated by the roles they were born to fill. She absolves herself from some of the difficult decisions that she and Cas made (especially Cas’s decision to ascend Poppy), knowing that these choices were forced upon them.

“I know the innocent will suffer the most—the people of Solis and the Atlantians. Maybe those within Atlantia cannot feel sympathy for those in Solis, but they are not the enemy here. They are also victims.”

Poppy highlights the double standard of Atlantian philosophy about the Ascended. While Atlantians have no qualms about living excessively long lives and drinking each other’s blood, they paradoxically believe that the Ascended are an abomination for doing the same thing. In this passage, Poppy advocates for the Ascended, or at least for those who are open to political reform and are willing to respect all forms of life.

“Life doesn’t wait to hand you a new puzzle until you’ve figured out the last one.”

As the Blood and Ash world becomes increasingly complicated, Poppy and Cas must take on more than one conflict at a time. In this passage, Armentrout blends personification with metaphor to emphasize the growing number of disputes.

“Whether it was the fields plowed for crops or the land used for housing and commerce, Atlantia was running out of space…Or already had. Still, the land was beautiful—the homes, shops, and farms. It was all open, from village to city, with no walls separating them nor keeping monstrous creatures at bay.”

The matter-of-fact tone of this passage lays out the realities of Atlantian politics and sets the stage for the events to come. In this moment, the Atlantian setting seems like a paradise to Poppy when compared to the abuses she endured in Solis. Though the kingdom is imperfect, Poppy recognizes that Valyn and Eloana have found ways to succeed at Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Leadership and enriching Atlantian lives.

“I just hope you both understand that this responsibility doesn’t end when you accomplish what you seek.”

By demonstrating his concern for Poppy and Cas’s well-being, Valyn develops into a father figure to Poppy. Though Cas and Valyn frequently disagree about political decisions, both men prioritize the safety of those they cherish most. While Valyn’s role in the novel is primarily passive, it is also clear that he fulfills a valuable advisory role.

“The weight of the gilded crown was unexpected, lighter than I imagined but only in the physical sense. An intangible heaviness came with it, one that spoke of thousands of years of decisions, choices, sacrifices, and gains.”

Armentrout frequently glorifies human bodily elements such as bones, flesh, and blood and transforms them into important symbols of magical power. In this passage, the crown is given similar treatment, adding dark, foreboding undertones to the narrative.

“The grass became white soil that reminded me of sand, but there was no beach that I could see, and it was brighter than sand. It sparkled in the sun and crunched under our— ‘Are we walking on diamonds?’ Vonetta stared at the ground, disbelief echoing from her.”

Unlike the other settings, Iliseeum twists the boundaries of reality, and as this particular scene demonstrates, Armentrout dedicates many of the Iliseeum chapters to visceral descriptions of outlandish landscapes and phenomena, further adding to the unique trappings of her imagined world.

“‘If this thing comes to life, I am out of here,’ Emil grumbled. ‘You will never see an Atlantian run faster.’”

Although the draken are introduced with a moment of comic relief, the underlying content of the scene establishes that these creatures are to be revered, though they are ultimately allies. The fact that the other Atlantians are afraid of the draken while Poppy is not implies that Poppy is the rightful commander of the draken race.

“That I wasn’t that thing in the cage or that thing that couldn’t control anything around me—not even what was done to me or how my body was used. Hearing them just say ‘Cas’ pulled me out of that hellscape.”

Cas adds to a conversation about the significance of names, especially nicknames chosen for oneself. Having lost his identity while captured by the Ascended, Cas takes comfort in hearing those closest to him call him by something other than his formal title.

“I donned a simple white shirt, one with loose sleeves fitted at the wrists. It was strangely…freeing that the white shirt didn’t affect me—”

Though Poppy prefers to wear colors other than white to symbolize her freedom, she reclaims her emotional response to the color white in this scene, further asserting control over her free will. Just as Eloana rebranded the Queen of Blood and Ash title, Poppy now shifts the meaning of the color white to represent something different from her experiences as Maiden.

“If you had truly believed in what I said, you wouldn’t have dared such a reckless thing. You would know that we are gods, and you don’t fight a god like that.”

Ironically, Isbeth provides Poppy with the information she needs to understand her identity more thoroughly. This moment affords Poppy the ability to weaponize herself with the draken while she learns more about the depths of her power.

“Became the Crown that forced us to remain behind the Skotos Mountains, used our people to make monsters, and took—took my children. I didn’t want Casteel to know that the same woman who’d taken my first husband was who’d held him and then his brother. She won in the end, and…she’s still managing to tear my family and kingdom apart.”

Eloana exposes her character flaws and weaknesses toward the novel’s close. Her ego prevents her from confessing to her wrongdoings and mistakes, which have ultimately harmed her family and kingdom.