45 pages • 1 hour read
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Jackaby draws from various multicultural myths and legends without any particular distinction to a single time and place. This gives the novel greater scope and a sense of cultural equality; like humans, mythical creatures from all beliefs and pantheons are a very real part of this world.
The first time Abigail meets Jackaby, he immediately takes stock of a handful of contrasting mythical creatures: a domovyk, a domovoi, and a Klabautermann, from Ukraine, Russia, and Germany, respectively. Accurately identifying these creatures, which is Jackaby’s specialty, helps him chart Abigail’s journey. The domovyk and domovoi are likely regional variations of the same legend: a helpful household spirit, similar to the brownies of English and Scottish folklore. About these creatures, Jackaby says, “Were the [domovyk’s] fur a bit longer, it could easily be confused for a Russian domovoi” (25-26). This suggests that the creatures began as one species and then evolved to adapt to different surroundings. He goes on to explain the Klabautermann and alludes to an 1872 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Ballad of Carmilhan,” which features “Klaboterman, / The Kobold of the sea” (“The Musician's Tale; The Ballad of Carmilhan.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.org, Lines 18-17). From the start, Jackaby has drawn together numerous folkloric threads to create a vivid image of his world.
Another creature of folklore that features prominently is the banshee, or bean sídhe, of Irish legend. Unlike the preceding examples, banshees have become relatively well-known in popular culture. Like Abigail, however, many have come to learn a misdirected version of their story and believe their voices cause death. As Jackaby explains, they were originally thought to be household spirits with a deep emotional connection to the families they served. That function then becomes integral to the plot. The banshee’s name, Mrs. Morrigan, is also a mythological allusion; Morrigan is an Irish triple goddess whose name means “Phantom Queen” and is often associated with war and death.
Through the narrative, Jackaby also references trolls, nymphs, leprechauns, and golems which originate from Scandinavian, Greek, Irish, and Jewish myths. There is also an allusion to Elizabeth Báthory, a real historical figure known as the “Blood Countess,” whose murders inspired several vampiric legends, and a reference to the “Knights of Ålleberg,” a Swedish ghost story. The novel’s central villain, Inspector Swift, is revealed to be a redcap. This creature comes from English and Scottish folklore and, as in the novel, is characterized by its blood-soaked hat. Holly Black’s YA novel The Cruel Prince also features a redcap as a central character.
Another place where real myths and legends come into play is through the character of Charlie Cane. Abigail and Inspector Marlowe use the term “werewolf” because it’s their closest cultural point of reference. Jackaby, however, points out the wide scope of shapeshifter myths that extend beyond this one creature: “therianthropic, yes, but not lycanthropic” (264); in other words, a man (thropos) who turns into an animal (therian) but not a wolf (lycan). Jackaby approaches the supernatural world as a form of academic and practical study, and in his world, every culture is as true as any other. Conveying this cultural scope to the reader makes the novel’s world seem like a wider, more magical place.
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