48 pages • 1 hour read
Rachel GilligOne Dark Window
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2022A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Series Context: The Shepherd King Duology
The Shepherd King duology includes One Dark Window and its sequel, Two Twisted Crowns. One Dark Window focuses on worldbuilding, introducing a fantastical world, the creation of 78 Providence Cards, the death of the Cards’ creator—the Shepherd King—the outlawing of non-Card magic, and the rule of the Rowan Family. The god-like Spirit of the Woods’ mist and magic infect the kingdom of Blunder’s citizens, who are hunted by the current Rowan King’s Physicians and 13 Destriers (elite soldiers). However, the infected protagonist, Elspeth Spindle, manages to keep herself and her mental companion—the Nightmare, the Shepherd King’s soul—safe for years. When Elspeth encounters Ravyn Yew, Captain of the Destriers, her safety is compromised, and she finds herself taking part in a rebellion against the Rowan King. Ravyn’s team seeks to gather the Shepherd King’s remaining Cards to form a Deck, disperse the mist, and find a cure for the mist’s infection. The novel ends with the Nightmare taking control of Elspeth’s body, albeit with consent. Despite this death, Two Twisted Crowns continues to follow Ravyn’s team as they seek the final Card—the Twin Adlers. In a twist, Elspeth is revealed to be alive, but the Nightmare is too dedicated to revenge against the Rowans to let her resurface.
Genre Context: Fantasy
One Dark Window is classified as a fantasy novel, taking place in a fantastical world. It includes fantasy races, such as the god-like Spirit, and magical objects like the 78 Providence Cards. For the most part, the Shepherd King duology follows a traditional hero’s journey, wherein protagonist Elspeth undergoes a series of challenges and changes. In One Dark Window, Elspeth’s antagonists outnumber her allies, as she is an infected magic-user hunted by the royal family, noble families, and Physicians and Destriers. Her journey also includes elements of dark fairy tales, as the Spirit and the Shepherd King’s Cards are associated with poison. Likewise, though magic is powerful, using it comes at a physical cost—such being the case for Elspeth and the Nightmare’s bond.
