The Book of Wonder · Chapter
How One Came, as Was Foretold, to the City of Never explained
The chapter recounts the prophecy and journey of a destined man who, using a magic halter given by an old woman, captures a hippogriff at dawn and rides to the legendary City of Never, a twilight city perched on the cliffs of Toldenarba.
What happens
The chapter recounts the prophecy and journey of a destined man who, using a magic halter given by an old woman, captures a hippogriff at dawn and rides to the legendary City of Never, a twilight city perched on the cliffs of Toldenarba. He passes the mysterious Under Pits, enters the city, and marvels at its agate streets and copper domes, but ultimately sees an even greater city beyond, which his mount refuses to approach, leaving his quest unfulfilled.
Themes in this chapter
Fate and Prophecy
The entire chapter is driven by a prophecy that the protagonist would come to the City of Never, and his journey is portrayed as an inevitable fulfillment of destiny.
Escape and Wonder
The protagonist escapes the ordinary world to reach the twilight City of Never, a place of perpetual wonder, hippogriffs, and unknown marvels.
The Otherworldly and Mythic
The City of Never, the Under Pits, the hippogriffs, and the even greater city beyond are all mythic, otherworldly elements that define the chapter's setting.
Characters to notice
- the Gladsome Beast
Not directly present; the chapter focuses on the unnamed protagonist and the hippogriffs.
Key passages
“The child that played about the terraces and gardens in sight of the Surrey hills never knew that it was he that should come to the Ultimate City”
The boy who played in the gardens near the Surrey hills had no idea that he was destined to reach the Ultimate City.
Introduces the protagonist's unawareness of his prophesied fate.
“He had the magic halter, and a worn old rope it was; an old wayfaring woman had given it to him: it had the power to hold any animal whose race had never known captivity”
He possessed a magic halter, a frayed old rope given by a wandering woman, which could restrain any creature that had never been tamed.
Describes the magical tool that enables his journey.
“Even so he came, as foretold, to the City of Never perched upon Toldenarba, and saw late twilight on those pinnacles that know no other light.”
Thus, as prophesied, he arrived at the City of Never on Toldenarba, witnessing the perpetual twilight on its peaks.
Climax of the prophecy's fulfillment.
“He knew now why all the windows faced this way—the denizens of the twilight gazed at the world and not at a greater than them.”
He understood then why all windows looked outward: the twilight inhabitants watched the world, not the even greater city beyond.
Reveals the citizens' perspective and the protagonist's realization of a greater mystery.