Bardugo is a master of character development. This passage and analogy is incredible and hits especially hard after finishing the chapter:

"Even now, Wylan could not name the specific moment when he knew his father had given up on him. The change had been slow. Jan Van Eck's patience had worn quietly away like gold plate over cruder metal, and when it was gone, it was as if his father had become someone else entirely, someone with far less luster."

Such a succinct and evocative description for a despicable man who Wylan wasn't quite ready to abandon.

I want to say this chapter lifts Wylan to my favourite character but I'm sure Bardugo has more heartbreak to build into the backstories of all her characters.

Do we think the author chose the name "Ava" for its connection to the Latin word "avis", meaning bird?