Pharmakides is a new novel by Alice Abyss. It includes various aspects of witchcraft like necromancy, ornithomancy, and herbalism. Today we will focus on the metallic symbols in this novel.
Bronze
Bronze is not a pure, elemental metal. Rather, it is an alloy. The most basic combonation is when a blacksmith combines copper and tin. Bronze is known for its distinct, shrill sound.
In her novel, Alice Abyss creates a fantasy world where bronze can touch the dead. Pharmakides will transport you into a world of shades, where witches ride dead horses with bronze bridles.
Gold
In Pharmakides gold represents the realm of heaven. Gold is light, and many ancient texts use this as an aspect of creative storytelling. Look at Ovid's description of the golden chariot which pulls the sun in Metamorphoses. He describes it as the most fickle of all the chariots, because gold is so light.
You may also remember that Bellepheron tamed Pegasos with a golden bridle. Alice Abyss uses gold to represent purity and reincarnation. Medousa's hair in Hesiod's 'Theogony' and Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' is golden blonde, but in this book 'Pharmakides' we look deeper and discover it has tones of bronze. This represents Medousa's journey from girl to monster.
Silver
The color of the moon and mist, silver is a magical metal. In 'Pharmakides' Alice Abyss uses silver as a metaphor for breath and the thin veil between livling and dead.
Silver is a recurring color in the story. Silver moonlight colors several scenes, animates the dead, and is the cast metal of one weapon in the story.
Multi POV
As the novel is narrated by different birds, you will notice some birds have different relationships with the same metals. For example, the eagle, who lives in the clouds, is offended by bronze.
Of course, the most metallic of all the chapters is narrated by the stymphalian bird. You might recall the stymphalian from the tasks of Heracles. Stymphalians are a mythical bird, crafted from metal.
Wishing you magic-filled days ahead,
Alice Abyss
Author