Exile

While each book in the Keeper series has its own character and plot arcs that resolve by the novel’s conclusion, each book also fits into a larger series arc. Thus, rather than standing alone, each builds on events from the previous one(s) and hints at events in later ones. As the second book in the series, Exile builds on the foundational world-building of the first book, Keeper of the Lost Cities. It adds layers to individual character arcs, introduces new challenges that advance the series plotlines, and weaves in clues and foreshadowing of events to come.

The first book revealed that Sophie is an especially powerful and gifted elf whose DNA was tweaked for a particular purpose, part of which is revealed by the end of Exile. She spent the first 12 years of her life in the human world and at the beginning of Exile has lived in the elvin world for only a year. The elvin world is portrayed as more idyllic than that of humans’, who were banned and cut off from the federation of intelligent beings, but it is nevertheless plagued with its own problems, one of which is a hierarchy based on talents.

Another significant event from the first book is that Sophie and Dex were kidnapped by one shadow organization and saved by another, the Black Swan. This organization implanted some memories in Sophie’s mind, while removing other memories from it, and is responsible for her unique talents. These include telepathy (the ability to read minds), polyglot (the ability so speak every language), and inflicting (the ability to project emotions and experiences onto another). The last of these talents manifested in a moment of great danger, helping her escape pain and torture by her kidnappers. Her mind is intended to be impenetrable.

Returning characters of importance include Mr. Forkle, a shadowy figure whose true identity is unclear. He was her neighbor in the human world and helped save her from her kidnappers. Others include Sophie’s elvin parents, Grady and Edaline Ruewen, who are members of the elvin nobility and whose daughter, Jolie, died in a fire. Her friends from the first book also reappear, including Dex, who lives in the working-class city of Mysterium; Biana and Fitz, whose parents, Della and Alden, are friends of Sophie’s elvin parents; and Keefe, a mischievous Empath. After Sophie’s kidnapping, she was assigned a goblin bodyguard, Sandor, who features prominently in ensuing books in the series.