Swans
The swans are a prominent theme running throughout the book and mean different things to different characters. For Bella Donna, the white swan she saw when she was fleeing her native country, becomes a symbol for hope that there is still some beauty and truth left in the world. Alternatively, the black swan that Oblivia sees whilst she is locked up in her apartment tower by Warren, is a parallel to her own life. She considers the black swan to be singing its dying song, much like herself, and so the black swan is a metaphor for her own despair.
Mistreatment of indigenous people
Indigenous people have often times been erased from history, and this book seems to comment on this. Despite the world being destroyed by climate wars, Aboriginal Australians continue to take the brunt of the consequences. The book highlights how they are still subject to mistreatment years into the future, with a lack of basic human rights being granted, being branded terrorists and being forced to live on campsites which lack basic resources.
Climate change
The book is set in the style of a dystopia, with the world having been changed by the Climate wars. Bella Donna is a victim of these changes and is left a refugee after her country is ravaged by climate change. She is desperate to ensure that Oblivia is sheltered from the hardships of this life and shields her away from the world. The story seems to highlight that regardless of background and ethnicity, everyone is affected by natural disasters and this gives life a real perspective. Bella Donna, a formerly privileged white woman, has her life forever changed by the disasters- this is showing that nature does not discriminate, and all people have a responsibility in caring for the world.
