Hell Bent

The theme of duality is central throughout Hell Bent and manifests in the interplay between the human and the supernatural. The demons are dark reflections of the characters they pursue. They represent each individual’s duality, highlighting their darkest fears, regrets, and unresolved conflicts. The implication in the novel is that one side will eventually win, consuming the other.

The demons mainly appear as individuals who had a negative impact in the past on the person they are hunting. This connection ties the characters’ past actions and choices to present negative consequences. The majority are people they killed, but for Galaxy Stern, it is Hellie. Alex does not regret the people she killed, but Hellie becomes a specter of her guilt and remorse because she is an innocent bystander, reminding her of the consequences of her choices and her inability to save innocents from becoming collateral damage. These demons take on aspects of the characters themselves, mirroring their inner conflicts and vulnerabilities:

Alex took in the warm hue of Blake Keely’s hair, something like the bright red of Dawes’s bun. Detective Carmichael had been wearing a cheap suit when she’d first glimpsed him, but now that suit looked sharp, […] something Turner might wear. And did Spenser look a bit more hapless, a bit less tough and rugged?

What had Alex thought when she’d gazed at Not Hellie across the street from Il Bastone? That she didn’t have Hellie’s easy, athletic grace. That she looked wary, taut. Because she was looking at herself (312).

This dual nature of the demons serves as a metaphor for the characters’ internal struggles and the shades of darkness that reside within them. As the characters face their pursuers, they also confront their inner demons, both literal and metaphorical. The demons’ pursuit adds a layer of psychological horror to the story. The relentless presence of these shadow selves forces the characters to confront their deepest fears and regrets, sometimes with fatal consequences, and blurs the lines between reality and nightmare.

Alex, Turner, and Dawes manage to overcome their demons in hell, implying that one’s dual nature must come to a resolution with good or evil triumphing over the other. However, Alex, Turner, and Dawes do not seem stronger or more moral as a result of their confrontation. They instead simply maintain their mortality rather than becoming demons themselves. Tripp loses his battle, but his demon self is seemingly as morally diffident as his mortal self, creating no net moral change. This leaves the question of whether overcoming one’s battles with their dual natures is necessary or advisable, as it causes danger to most with no net benefit.

Duality is also central to Darlington’s character. He is introduced in the previous book as a brilliant and idealistic young man who is deeply committed to understanding the supernatural and protecting those he cares about. However, Darlington’s transformation into a demon contrasts with his human persona. As a demon, he takes on a new form with numerous physical changes, including the appearance of horns and the ability to wield powerful magic. The duality of his transformation is not only physical, but also marked by internal struggles. He must reconcile his human memories and emotions with the instincts and desires of his demon self. His character challenges conventional notions of morality as he oscillates between his human values and the potentially destructive capabilities of his demon form. This moral ambiguity invites readers to contemplate the gray areas of right and wrong, further emphasizing the theme of duality throughout the narrative. In the world of Lethe and the magical societies of Yale, nothing is purely black or white, but a shifting interplay of gray.