Light and Dark (Goodness and evil)
The victory of light over dark is a powerful theme of this text and is represented in many different ways. Primarily, this is through the battle between Alina (whose power is to harness light) and the Darkling. Ultimately, this is a metaphorical struggle between goodness and evil, representing the fact that virtue prevails in the end.
Regaining strength
At the beginning of the novel, Alina is still struggling from her past battles. She is not in a great physical condition, but she carries on regardless. This is just one example of Alina's incredible ability to get up and fight again after being injured or demoralized, which is something that happens throughout the series.
Friendship
As with the other books in the series, the friendship between Alina and Mal is a heartwarming and positive aspect of the text. They often help each other out of difficult situations, and motivate each other when times get tough. As such, the power of friendship is a key theme of this novel, exploring how friendship is an important part of people's lives.
