The Forest of Dusk, also known as the Waiting Place, where lost souls go after death to go into the afterlife, is both a symbol and a motif in A Reaper at the Gates. As a symbol, it represents the oppression of the jinn, who were imprisoned within the Forest, and whose cities, which were in the forest, were destroyed by the Scholar King a thousand years ago. The Forest also spreads throughout the Empire, connecting to all four sides of it. As a motif, the forest emphasizes the corruption which exists in the land; the Empire is successful because of the oppression of the jinn, and the knowledge that the Augurs stole from the jinn.

As the Waiting Place, the Forest of Dusk emphasizes how no one can escape the consequences of their actions. Even after death, the ghosts are judged by their actions; either they get to pass on, or they are punished for their wrongdoings.

Storytelling is an important motif throughout the novel, which represents people’s resilience and their cultural heritage. The Tribes use storytelling to pass down social, historical, and cultural information through the generations. Laia realizes that she can use the stories that the Kehanni of Tribe Sulud tells to learn how to defeat