Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of physical abuse, emotional abuse, substance use, addiction, violence, death by suicide, and death.

“The crowd murmured its disapproval behind me; I’d forgotten that simple half-bloods like me weren’t supposed to look a Minister in the eye. Being the pure-blood spawn of demigods, the Hematoi had huge egos.”

Alex’s reflection on her first encounter with the Hematoi Ministers highlights the theme of The Injustice of Social Hierarchies in Half-Blood. The crowd’s disapproval reinforces the rigid societal structure, which dictates that half-bloods must remain subservient, even in something as basic as eye contact. This reaction highlights the Hematoi’s inflated sense of superiority and the absurdity of demanding unquestioning deference from a seven-year-old. The moment exposes the institutionalized discrimination that half-bloods face and foreshadows the ongoing struggle that Alex and others like her endure throughout the novel.

“I was like a walking romance novel character, thinking love conquers everything and all that crap. Sure. Love in my world usually ended up with someone hearing ‘I smite thee!’ as she was cursed to be some lame flower for the rest of her life. The gods and their children could be petty like that.”

Alex’s reflection highlights her disillusionment with love and intersects with the theme of The Journey to Self-Discovery and Belonging. Once naive enough to believe love could conquer all, she now recognizes that in her world, romance often leads to suffering, punishment, or even transformation at the whims of the gods. Her sarcastic tone masks a deeper frustration—she does not truly belong in the mortal world, yet the Hematoi world is just as unforgiving.

“‘No. It was. He thinks I’m a freak.’ 

[Rachelle] scooted closer, placing a gentle hand on my knee. ‘I know it’s hard for you to be away from the Covenant, but you’ll be okay. You’ll see. You have your whole life ahead of you, full of choice and freedom.’”

Alex repeatedly calls herself a “freak” in the novel, internalizing the rejection she faces, which underscores her struggle with self-discovery and belonging. In contrast, Rachelle offers a hopeful