Phantasma

“Meanwhile, of all her mother’s lessons growing up, Ophelia found the ones about the Nine Circles of Hell particularly enthralling. More than the hours and hours of lectures about how to reanimate corpses to do your bidding, how to talk to the dead, and how to avoid being possessed…the tales of the territories of Hell had always been Ophelia’s macabre fascination of choice.”

Ophelia’s fascination with the Devils and Circles of Hell foreshadows her eventual relationship with Blackwell and his true identity as the Prince of Devils. It also hints at the fact that Ophelia has inherited the soul of Blackwell’s mortal lover, Angel, and will be the one to finally free him from Phantasma. The reference to the nine circles of Hell is an allusion to Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, the first section of his 14th-century epic poem Divine Comedy. The names of the levels in Phantasma correspond to the circles of Hell in Inferno.

“Like one of the dark romance novels she’d read in Grimm Manor’s library when she couldn’t sleep.”

Smith makes a metatextual reference to the romantasy genre on the page through Ophelia’s fascination with dark romance novels. Ophelia is a character in a dark romance novel who reads dark romance novels, adding a layer of self-aware irony to the text.

“For as long as she could remember, the voice had been there, in the darkest corners of her mind, telling her to walk through certain doorways or her entire family would perish. Making her knock incessantly on doors to buy a moment of silence with her own thoughts. Harping on at her to commit the most gruesome crimes on the most vulnerable beings. When she was younger, she had worried she was possessed. She had packed all her bags and made it a mile up the road to spare her family of her evil, before her mother found her and explained that the Shadow Voice wasn’t actually real. It was just a fixture of her mind. One she would have to live with forever.”

Here, Ophelia succinctly describes her experience with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and how it manifests as the Shadow Voice in her mind. Even as a child, Ophelia was so selfless that she planned to run away from her family to avoid harming them, which demonstrates how her character fits into the theme of Sacrifice for the Sake of Survival. She was willing to sacrifice herself to let her family live in peace.

“Ophelia had to look away from the scene. Genevieve had an entire life outside of Grimm Manor. People she had made connections with, memories with, that Ophelia didn’t even know the names of.”

The core conflict between Ophelia and Genevieve boils down to legacy. Genevieve is free to explore New Orleans and live an unencumbered lifestyle, while Ophelia is trapped in Grimm Manor learning about magic. Ophelia feels hurt that Genevieve keeps pieces of her life secret from her, as she thought they were close and shared everything. This conflict forces Ophelia to face her family’s secrets throughout Phantasma.

“‘It’s true, then.’ Mr. Mouton’s voice was low as the two men gaped out the driver’s side window. Mr. Lafitte shuddered. ‘I told you. I heard it just…appeared.’”

Smith frequently utilizes foreshadowing to hint at the arrival of Phantasma in the opening chapters of the novel. As Ophelia listens in on the bank employees’ conversation, the men look out the window and see Phantasma. This foreshadowing predicts Ophelia’s arrival at the Phantasma manor later that day.

“‘Go home,’ the stranger advised. ‘A house of Devils is no place for an angel like you.’ The way they continued to call her angel made her think they were teasing her.”

When Blackwell first meets Ophelia, Ophelia cannot see him. He’s only a voice, and his use of the term “angel” makes Ophelia think the voice is taunting her. However, the nickname is actually a hint at Ophelia’s future romance with Blackwell and her connection to Blackwell’s first mortal lover.

“Never feel bad for bleeding, Ophelia. Her mother’s voice came back to her now. Bleeding means you’re alive.”

Ophelia thinks about her mother in her time of need as she panics about the blood on her hands caused by the rose bushes on Grimm Manor’s gate. Ophelia’s greatest fear, which Phantasma later uses against her, is that she will hurt herself because of the Shadow Voice. The blood on her hands is a symbol of the harm the Shadow Voice does to her.

“Horns. His Devil’s Mark.”

The Devil’s Mark is a significant piece of Blackwell’s hidden identity. The other Devils in Phantasma have marks indicating that they are Devils. However, Blackwell’s Devil’s Mark is his white hair, which is easily attributed to his false Phantom identity.

“Three times, the Shadow Voice purred, satisfied.”

The Shadow Voice often compels Ophelia to tap on things three times. Blackwell requires Ophelia to say his name three times to summon him, and this repetition of three soothes the Shadow Voice. This hints at Blackwell’s role in helping Ophelia cope with the presence of the Shadow Voice.

“‘Did you know that every time you lie, your left eye twitches a little?’ She crossed her arms. ‘It does not.’”

This playful banter between Blackwell and Ophelia illustrates the beginnings of their flirtatious relationship. It also illustrates the intimacy they have with each other even early in the competition, as Blackwell pays close enough attention to Ophelia to notice her subtle mannerisms.

“She buried her face into the crook of his throat. ‘You came.’ ‘You called,’ he answered.”

Ophelia’s physical embrace of Blackwell illustrates an important turning point in their relationship. Ophelia confides in Blackwell emotionally and physically, trusting him with her physical safety. Though the blood bargain means Blackwell has a selfish interest in seeing Ophelia safe, Blackwell’s care for Ophelia intensifies their relationship.

“Etched into the oak flooring were several words. The first was unreadable, having been scratched out so many times there was a deep gouge in the floor, but the ones beneath were crystal clear. And Gabriel Forever.”

The crossed-out name that Ophelia sees on the floor hints at her true connection to Phantasma. Gabriel is one half of the relationship that drew Ophelia to Phantasma, and her mother Tessie is the other half. The physical gouging of Tessie’s name out of the floor represents the emotional gouging she attempted to bargain for in order to make Gabriel to forget her and the Grimm sisters.

“That her mind was already too fragile, had become too crowded by the Shadow Voice to take on anything else that might be considered stressful. But what she hated most of all was that the only person she wanted to see right now, to talk to about all of this, was Genevieve. And Genevieve was missing. Because of Ophelia.”

Ophelia’s tendency to blame herself stems from the pressure her mother placed on her from a young age. She blames herself for Genevieve running away and entering Phantasma, even though the choice to do so was entirely Genevieve’s. This is another facet of the conflict between the sisters. Ophelia believes Genevieve is too young and naive to appreciate the danger of Phantasma, while Genevieve believes Ophelia has too much stress to take on further pressure. Each underestimates the other.

“A deep sense of dread began to sink into her gut that being within Phantasma wasn’t going to be the thing that broke her.”

As she starts to fall in love with Blackwell, she worries that the relationship will be the thing that breaks her heart. This new danger arises just as Ophelia is gaining confidence in her ability to survive and perhaps even win the Phantasma competition. This moment of dread foreshadows the end of the novel, when Ophelia gives Blackwell her locket to free him, stopping her heart in the process.

“But most of all she shed tears for herself. And the soft heart she would never have again.”

Ophelia sacrifices the softness and compassion in her heart during Phantasma, especially as she kills Eric and Cade. This sacrifice represents the many sacrifices Ophelia makes to survive Phantasma and find Genevieve.

“I can’t think of any other person who knows a single thing about me. I am honored that I have gotten to spend this time with you. I only wish we had more.”

Blackwell’s revelation that no one else knows anything about him in the way Ophelia does illustrates the transformative power that their relationship has on both Blackwell and Ophelia. Ophelia helps Blackwell feel valued and appreciated in a way neither the other contestants nor the Devils have before.

“I changed my mind. Those words cut through her like a blade. Not even the dead want you. The Shadow Voice laughed.”

Blackwell pushes Ophelia away to keep her safe, but his rejection gives strength to the Shadow Voice. Blackwell’s presence quiets the Shadow Voice, and his avoidance of Ophelia makes the Shadow Voice louder.

“The dream I’ve been looking for—the one to wake me up. The thought of wasting another second when I will lose you forever in only three days has ruined me. You are the closest thing I will ever get to experiencing heaven, and I’m not ready to let it go.”

Blackwell’s emotional language makes his feelings for Ophelia clear. He wants to keep Ophelia, but he cannot let himself risk Ophelia’s safety by falling in love with her or letting them truly confess their feelings for each other. The curse that afflicts those who fall in love in Phantasma is an example of the forbidden love trope prevalent in romantasy fiction.

“Soon enough, not a single soul will remember your name. You’ve made no lasting mark on this world. I know which fate I’d rather have between the two.”

The theme of legacy is complicated by Ophelia’s words to Cade as she kills him. Ophelia wants to have a legacy, to leave a mark on the world, and she taunts Cade by making him realize he’ll die with no legacy to speak of.

“Blackwell’s words came slamming back into her, and she realized how right they were. Every time the Shadow Voice urged her to do something insidious or viciously evil and she resisted…that was her choosing who she really was. And unleashing such a force on the world where she could no longer mitigate the consequences of the Voice’s actions was a much larger burden than she was willing to live with if those were her only two options.”

Blackwell’s presence helps Ophelia realize that she is stronger than she knows for her ability to resist the Shadow Voice. She also further demonstrates her selfless nature by willingly fighting the physical manifestation of the Shadow Voice instead of letting the Shadow Voice wreak havoc on the world.

“‘If you give this to me, you will die,’ he told her. ‘Do you understand that?’ ‘Yes,’ she whispered. ‘I could have died plenty of times in this manor. But I love⁠—”

Again, Ophelia sacrifices herself for those she loves. She willingly gives her heart to Blackwell, knowing it will stop her heart and curse her. This complicates the theme of sacrifices for the sake of survival, as Ophelia sacrifices herself for Blackwell’s freedom and survival instead of her own.

“Her locket began to glow in his hand, a bright, icy blue. Grimm Blue. The locket lifted into the air, prying itself open and bursting with a light that enveloped the darkness around them completely.”

The symbol of the locket becomes significant, as it is the very object to free Blackwell from Phantasma. Ophelia’s connection to Phantasma is fated, as is her role as Blackwell’s savior. The significance of the color Grimm Blue also illustrates Ophelia’s choice to create her own legacy moving forward.

“This was it. What everything since her mother’s death had led to. Her choosing what sort of future she was going to have. What sort of legacy.”

Ophelia uses the world legacy to describe her future with Blackwell. Her legacy is no longer the pressure of upholding her family values. Instead, her legacy is making her own choices and forming her own future.