The Queen's Assassin Book Analysis Essay

Throughout “The Queen's Assassin”, there are 2 prominent main characters that we get to learn about. Their similarities, differences, and how they develop as characters throughout the book are all shown through the author’s writing. Although hard to tell at time’s the two prominent characters, Shadow and Caledon Holt are two very different, yet similar people. As both characters seek adventure, purpose and answers even when they grew up in different places with different jobs, through the use of a double POV, the author can further convey the character development of a girl who needed confidence and a boy in need of a helping hand. 

Although their similarities can seem few and far between, there are without a doubt a couple of prominent ones that appear while reading this book. Both characters seek adventure, purpose, and answers. After coming across an old hideout of a long-lost rebellious group called Aphrasians they realized that they were still alive but just in hiding. After this discovery, both characters wanted to go out and seek the truth behind this mystery and what they could possibly be planning. Their desire for answers, adventure, and purpose allowed them to prevail and ignore all obstacles that we’re trying to prevent them from attaining their goal. 

When thinking about the differences between these two characters, many come to mind. One of the main differences between these characters is their jobs and where/how they grew up. Caledon Holt is the queen’s one and only assassin, the kingdom Of Renovia’s deadliest weapon. He grew up with a pretty average life in Renovia until he turned 13. When his father died while executing a mission for the queen, it has since been his job to carry on his dad’s mission until he also dies or completes it himself. On the other hand, you have Shadow who was also born in Renovia but was quickly moved to a faraway village by her mother. In this village, Shadow had been secretly training all her life to become a member of the guild so that she could also go on cool adventures like her mom and aunts. While one character was forced into his line of work due to an old blood pact that he was not allowed to break or escape from, the other chose to train by choice and dreamt of going on adventures like the people she deeply admired.

Whilst comparing the character’s development and reading this book, you notice that the author wrote from a double POV. This allows the reader to more easily compare and contrast the character development of these two characters. Each character starts off by always blindly following what they are told but how they overcame this and realize they can choose their own path, is where the author’s writing and decision to do a double POV shines through. When reading from Shadow’s perspective we are in the first person. It “cleverly conceals her multiple truths from whom she chooses and enriches the reader’s understanding of her actions and motives as the story unfolds” (1). With this perspective, we see how with just a little push and some confidence she starts making her own decisions in carving out her own path different from what others have already laid out for her. While reading from Caledon’s perspective we are in the third person. It “leaves him always at a slight distance from the reader, cleverly replicating the arm’s length at which he holds himself from others, given his duties” (1). With this perspective, it clearly demonstrated how hard it was for Caledon to start creating his own path. Unlike Shadow, he needed support to develop and change, as he realized not all problems could be solved by himself. As the author is able to write and convey the characters in such a way that they are so different from each other yet so similar, alongside the use of a double POV it allows for further connection and engagement with the reader as they follow these character’s development throughout the book. 

In the end, both Caledon and Shadow are similar yet different. Where both seek adventure, purpose and answers, they differ in where and how they grew up. Being raised in different conditions creates a different perspective on why and how they came to be. Through the author’s unique storytelling methods, comparing these characters shows the importance of POV in a story. As both characters seek adventure, purpose and answers even when they grew up in different places with different jobs, through the use of a double POV, the author can further convey the character development of a girl who needed confidence and a boy in need of a helping hand.