The Seven Sisters

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, sexual violence, and gender discrimination.

“The nearest neighbors were miles away along the lake, so Atlantis was our own private kingdom, set apart from the rest of the world. Everything it contained within it was magical…as if Pa Salt and we, his daughters, had lived there under an enchantment.”

This description of Maia’s childhood home, nicknamed Atlantis, demonstrates both the affection that Maia has for her adoptive father as well as the unique, almost surreal, details of her upbringing. Maia repeatedly uses words like “magical” and “fairy tale” to describe Pa Salt and her childhood, reinforcing his mysterious aura and the secrecy that shrouds his past.

“I was the sister who had never left.”

Maia’s situation at the start of the novel is a cautionary tale in The Danger of Being Guided by Fear. Mourning the loss of Pa Salt, Maia reflects on her decision to live with him at Atlantis well into her thirties while the rest of her sisters spread their wings and started lives of their own. Although Maia has a successful career, she has avoided forming close adult relationships and lives in isolation. Her character arc tracks her growth as she learns to open up to others and embrace a more fulfilling lifestyle.

“Never let your fear decide your destiny.”

This is the quotation that Pa Salt has dedicated to Maia on the armillary sphere. Consistent with Pa’s eccentric and secretive ways, the armillary sphere has only a short message and a set of coordinates for each daughter.