House of Earth and Blood

Almost none of the characters in the novel are who they seem to be. The central murder mystery of the book takes a back seat to the greater mysteries that are resolved when the characters show their true colors over the course of the story.

Danika initially appears as a loyal friend to Bryce. In contrast, her mother perceives her as arrogant and reckless—a girl who likes to take risks and lets Bryce lead her into trouble. Bryce herself eventually questions Danika’s true nature when she learns that her friend has stolen Luna’s Horn. Bryce also doubts Danika’s courage in her last moments to such a degree that she trades her own afterlife to guarantee that Danika will be received favorably by the Under-King. Despite Bryce’s initial doubt, Danika not only remained a steadfast friend to Bryce by refusing to give Micah any info that might put Bryce in harm’s way. Danika paid for her allegiance to Bryce with her life, was setup and drugged by Micah, and also kept Bryce’s Fae gift a secret. This secret also caused Danika’s mom, Sabine, to dislike her daughter’s secretive loyalty toward Bryce, and caused much of Sabine’s hatred and incorrect assumptions about Bryce as a troublemaking half-human.