Can You Take It Summary, Characters and Themes
Can You Take It by Jeneane Oriley is a dark fantasy novel set in the haunting and treacherous world of Tartarus, the underworld. The story follows Aurelius, a Seelie royal who, after a tragic death, finds himself trapped in this hellish realm.
Throughout the narrative, Aurelius struggles with feelings of guilt, loss, and self-doubt, especially regarding his relationships with those he cares for, including Calypso and her sister Adrianna. As he navigates this twisted landscape, he faces challenges that test his loyalty, identity, and moral values. The novel explores complex themes of power, sacrifice, and redemption in a world where choices have profound consequences.
Summary
The story begins with Aurelius, also known as Eli, a Seelie royal who finds himself trapped in Tartarus, a dark underworld realm. His tragic death, caused by a violent confrontation with Zef, the father of his friend Calypso, still haunts him.
Zef’s blade not only inflicted mortal wounds on Eli but also stole his powers, transferring them to Calypso. This loss deepens Eli’s feelings of failure, especially because he couldn’t protect Calypso from her mother’s dark schemes.
Eli’s primary motivation for sacrifice is to save Calypso’s sister, Adrianna, who is also trapped in Tartarus. Adrianna can only ascend from the underworld if she is freed of the last drop of her power, which is contained in a pendant Eli holds.
Eli’s time in Tartarus is filled with both physical and emotional agony. Despite being dead, his body remains in torment, and his sense of responsibility and guilt weighs heavily on him.
He constantly thinks of Calypso, wishing for her happiness and hoping she will find solace with Mendax, the Prince of the Unseelie realm, with whom she shares a complex relationship. Eli’s tragic self-image—where he sees himself as a hero who failed—drives him to make a final sacrifice, hoping to redeem himself and ensure Calypso’s future.
Even in the grim surroundings of Tartarus, Eli holds onto hope and a sense of purpose. His physical pain is excruciating, but his mind is focused on freeing Adrianna.
He thinks of the pendant she needs to release herself from Tartarus and makes it his final mission to help her, despite the torment he suffers. While lying in the depths of the underworld, Eli reflects on his fate and wonders if there is any way to redeem himself.
His internal struggle reveals how deeply entwined his fate is with Calypso’s and Adrianna’s.
The narrative takes an unexpected turn when Eli encounters a strange voice and finds himself in a gothic-style room filled with other fae, all observing him. One of them, Walter, explains that Eli is no longer in Tartarus but in a waiting room called Eromreven.
This place is where souls are judged and sorted. The shift in setting adds a layer of absurdity and complexity to Eli’s journey as he tries to understand what is happening and why he’s there.
He soon finds himself forced to participate in a brutal and deadly contest known as the “Red Keys.” This contest is a gladiatorial game in which souls must fight for their survival.
Eli must confront his own emotions and his guilt as he is thrust into this violent and chaotic competition.
Throughout these events, Eli’s internal struggles are amplified. He faces the horror of Tartarus, while also grappling with the hope of freeing Adrianna and making up for his past failures.
He questions his role in the underworld and whether he can truly make a difference. Eli’s complex relationship with Mendax also resurfaces, particularly as Mendax once confessed his conflicting feelings of wanting to be both a hero and a villain for Calypso.
Although they are enemies, Eli finds a dark amusement in the idea that Calypso will always think of him as her hero, regardless of what happens.
As Eli’s journey unfolds, he begins to learn more about the dynamics of Tartarus and the true nature of his connections with those around him. He learns of the cruel history of the fae, particularly their manipulation of humans, such as the changelings.
The changelings, who were once used by the fae to rule in place of fae heirs, were ultimately discarded and thrown into Tartarus when no longer needed. This dark revelation plays a significant role in Eli’s understanding of Adrianna’s own motivations and actions.
As Eli’s journey continues, he learns more about Anna, who is revealed to be Calypso’s sister. Anna has grown up in the harsh world of Tartarus and is not the innocent, kind figure Eli once thought she was.
Instead, she is a powerful, vengeful individual who seeks to control Tartarus. Anna’s desire for power drives her to eliminate anyone who stands in her way, even her own family.
The tension between her and Eli deepens as they both try to claim the pendant that holds immense power. As Eli’s feelings for Anna evolve, he finds himself caught between loyalty to Calypso and a growing bond with Anna.
The story reaches a climax during the Red Keys contest, where Eli is forced to confront Anna in a deadly battle. He is left with no choice but to kill her in order to prevent her from gaining full control of her powers.
However, the act of killing Anna brings about overwhelming guilt and confusion, as Eli is left questioning whether he made the right decision. This moment serves as a turning point for Eli, as he reflects on the true cost of being a hero.
As Eli continues his journey, he realizes that Anna’s motivations are more complex than he initially believed. She reveals her deep remorse for her past actions, particularly her treatment of Calypso.
This revelation forces Eli to reconsider his actions and his understanding of Anna. Eli’s internal struggle reaches its peak as he realizes the gravity of his choices and their consequences.
In the final act, Eli decides to leave Tartarus, rejecting the role of hero that was forced upon him. He makes the decision to escape the underworld, choosing freedom over the fate that was thrust upon him.
His journey is one of redemption, self-discovery, and the difficult choices that define who we are. Ultimately, Eli learns that he cannot undo his past, but he can shape his future by rejecting the destiny that once seemed inevitable.
The novel concludes with Eli finding peace in his decision to let go of his past and pursue a future with Anna, despite the chaos that surrounds them. The story highlights the complexities of love, guilt, sacrifice, and the consequences of choices, all set against the backdrop of a dark and unforgiving world.
Eli’s journey through Tartarus serves as a powerful metaphor for the struggles we face in our own lives, and the price we sometimes pay for redemption.
Characters
Aurelius (Eli)
Aurelius, also known as Eli, is a complex character whose emotional and physical journey serves as a central point in Can You Take It. Eli’s character is marked by a profound sense of guilt, responsibility, and self-doubt, stemming from his tragic past and the catastrophic events that led to his death.
His sacrifice is driven by his deep love and loyalty to his friend Cal, and later, his overwhelming desire to save Cal’s sister, Adrianna. Throughout the narrative, Eli grapples with his image of himself as a hero, but he continually finds himself falling short of that ideal.
His emotions are conflicted, especially as he deals with his relationship with Mendax and his feelings for Cal. Despite his tragic end, Eli holds onto a flicker of hope, driven by his mission to redeem himself by helping Adrianna escape Tartarus.
This tension between his past failures and his desire for redemption creates a character who is both heroic and deeply flawed, and his journey through Tartarus becomes a process of coming to terms with his own limitations.
Anna
Anna, the sister of Calypso, is another pivotal character in Can You Take It. Initially presented as a figure of power and control, Anna’s character is revealed to be much more complex as the story unfolds.
Having grown up in the cruel environment of Tartarus, Anna is hardened by the violence and manipulation she endured. Her quest for power, symbolized by the pendant, is not just a desire for control but also an attempt to break free from her past.
She harbors a deep resentment for her family, particularly her father, Zef, and the manipulation of the fae. Despite her ruthless pursuit of power, Anna’s vulnerability and emotional depth emerge throughout the story.
Her relationship with Aurelius is fraught with tension and conflict, as their shared history and the complicated bond with the pendant pull them in different directions. As the story progresses, Anna’s motivations become clearer—her struggle for control is both a reflection of her desire to protect herself and her deeply rooted emotional scars.
She is not entirely evil but a product of her traumatic upbringing, torn between her desire for power and her guilt over her actions.
Bexley
Bexley’s character in Can You Take It is defined by his internal struggles and complex emotional landscape. Marked by abuse and trauma from his past, Bexley wrestles with feelings of worthlessness and self-doubt.
His physical scars, including the painful memory of his wings being mistreated, serve as symbols of his emotional damage. Bexley’s self-destructive tendencies, such as his emotional volatility and tendency to turn to alcohol, are outward expressions of his deep internal turmoil.
Despite this, there are moments where Bexley shows a yearning for peace and redemption, often in contrast to his aggressive behavior. His relationship with others, particularly his tumultuous interactions with Eletha and Walter, highlights his vulnerability and the complex nature of his internal struggles.
Through his journey, Bexley becomes a figure of personal growth, moving from destructive habits toward a path of self-awareness and eventual redemption.
Walter
Walter’s character is defined by his past connection to Eli and his role in the strange world of Tartarus. His interactions with Eli are filled with a sense of familiarity but also tension, as Walter plays a significant part in Eli’s journey through the Underworld.
While Walter’s role in the story remains somewhat mysterious, his presence provides an anchor for Eli as he navigates the bizarre and often dangerous environment of Tartarus. Walter’s past relationship with Eli adds complexity to their interactions, creating a sense of both camaraderie and conflict.
His ability to understand the intricacies of Tartarus and the struggles of its inhabitants makes him a key figure in the unfolding events, even as his true motivations remain somewhat obscured.
Mendax
Mendax, the Prince of the Unseelie realm, is another important character in Can You Take It. His relationship with Cal is complex, and the bond between them is characterized by both deep affection and unresolved tension.
Mendax is not a simple hero or villain but a character whose actions and motivations are shaped by a mixture of love, pride, and a desire for power. His interactions with Eli are charged with a sense of rivalry and competition, particularly as Eli struggles with his own feelings for Cal.
Mendax’s character is defined by his internal conflict, particularly regarding his role in Cal’s life and his complicated emotions towards Eli. His desire to be both a hero and a villain for Cal makes him an unpredictable and enigmatic figure, whose presence adds an element of unpredictability to the unfolding events in Tartarus.
Kaohs
Kaohs, the god of the Underworld, adds a dark and ominous layer to the narrative of Can You Take It. As a manipulative figure who seeks to control the lives of others, Kaohs is a powerful antagonist whose actions are rooted in a deep understanding of the fae and the changelings.
His exploitation of the changelings, particularly his use of humans as pawns in his schemes, reveals the cruelty and indifference that exists in the world of Tartarus. Kaohs’ interactions with Aurelius and Anna serve as pivotal moments in the story, as his past reveals the dark history of the changelings and their exploitation by the fae.
His cold and calculating nature makes him a formidable force in the narrative, and his influence over the characters’ fates underscores the chaotic and unpredictable world they inhabit.
Themes
Redemption and Guilt
In Can You Take It, the theme of redemption runs deeply through the protagonist’s journey, particularly through the experiences of Eli. His sacrifice, initially seen as a heroic act, is overshadowed by the overwhelming guilt he feels for his past failures.
Eli’s motivation to free Adrianna from Tartarus is rooted in his desire to atone for the sins of his past, including his inability to protect Cal from her mother’s harmful plans. Throughout the narrative, redemption is not portrayed as a simple or easy achievement.
Eli’s emotional pain is as intense as his physical torment, constantly forcing him to grapple with his sense of worth and the weight of his mistakes. Even as he lies in the depths of Tartarus, physically falling apart, he clings to the idea that he can still make things right.
This emotional torment highlights that redemption is not only about external actions, like saving others, but also about inner transformation—recognizing one’s failures, taking responsibility, and making amends. Eli’s journey thus becomes a complex dance between hope and despair, as he fights to do something meaningful with his last moments.
His internal struggles are a direct commentary on the difficulty of redemption, showing that it is neither simple nor guaranteed, but rather a painful and ongoing process.
Power and Control
The power dynamics in Can You Take It reveal a grim and brutal world where control is often tied to survival. In the hellish landscape of Tartarus, power is not just a means of influence; it is the very thing that dictates one’s fate.
The pendant that Eli carries, tied to Adrianna’s power, symbolizes this dangerous connection between authority and survival. It holds the key to her freedom, but it also makes her a target in the brutal world of Tartarus.
As characters like Anna and Kaohs vie for control over their destinies and the world around them, power becomes a double-edged sword—one that can protect but also destroy. For Anna, the quest for power is personal, linked to her painful past and her transformation from a vulnerable changeling into a force to be reckoned with.
As she learns the truth about her identity and her ability to wield power, her motivations become more complex, showing how power can corrupt and distort one’s sense of self. Eli’s own struggle with control is equally significant; his journey is marked by decisions that force him to confront his role in a world that seeks to manipulate him, often presenting him with impossible choices.
In Tartarus, power isn’t just about dominance but about the price one must pay to gain it—and the eventual cost of holding it.
Love and Sacrifice
The theme of love in Can You Take It is inextricably linked to sacrifice, shaping the characters’ actions and motivations. Eli’s love for Cal and his desire to protect her family drive him to make the ultimate sacrifice.
His relationship with Cal remains a defining force in his life, even in death, and it shapes his thoughts and actions as he navigates the chaotic world of Tartarus. However, his connection to Anna complicates matters further, as his feelings for her evolve throughout the narrative.
Eli’s decision to remain in Tartarus and give Anna the pendant symbolizes a profound act of love, not just for her, but also for the life he has built with her, despite the unpredictable and often dangerous nature of their world. This act of love is also deeply sacrificial—Eli must let go of his previous self and embrace a future that is uncertain and fraught with challenges.
Similarly, Anna’s love for her family, particularly Cal, is complicated by her desire for power, and this internal conflict makes her an even more tragic figure. Her struggle between love and ambition, and her eventual remorse for the things she’s done, illustrate the destructive potential of love when it becomes entangled with power.
Ultimately, the sacrifices that each character makes for love reveal the complexities of human emotion and the extent to which love can drive one to act, even when the consequences are painful or uncertain.
Identity and Self-Discovery
The journey through Tartarus in Can You Take It is not just physical but deeply tied to self-discovery. For characters like Eli, Anna, and Bexley, Tartarus represents a place where they are forced to confront their pasts and the identities they have struggled to define.
Eli’s emotional journey revolves around his internal conflict between his past identity as a hero and the person he is becoming in Tartarus. His decisions throughout the story are driven by his desire to reconcile who he was with who he is now.
His struggles with pride and his relationship with Anna highlight this theme, as he wrestles with his feelings of guilt, duty, and love. For Anna, her identity is shaped by the harshness of her upbringing, and her transformation from a vulnerable changeling into a ruthless seeker of power is a direct result of the environment she grew up in.
Her journey is marked by the realization that her actions have consequences, and her identity shifts as she comes to terms with the person she has become. Similarly, Bexley’s journey is one of emotional growth as he learns to shed his self-destructive tendencies and find a path toward redemption.
The underworld, with its trials and hardships, becomes a crucible for the characters, pushing them to confront who they truly are beneath the layers of trauma, guilt, and ambition. The theme of identity in the narrative underscores the idea that self-discovery is not a straightforward path, but rather a tumultuous journey filled with pain, realization, and, ultimately, growth.
Fate and Free Will
Fate plays a significant role in Can You Take It, with characters constantly questioning whether their destinies are predetermined or if they can forge their own path. For Eli, his presence in Tartarus and his mission to save Adrianna seem to be dictated by forces beyond his control, yet his decisions in the face of these challenges demonstrate his struggle for autonomy.
The tension between fate and free will is particularly evident when Eli is faced with the chance to leave Tartarus for the Elysian Fields. His decision to remain with Anna, despite the chance for peace and escape, is an assertion of his agency, showing that even in a world dominated by gods and predestined paths, individuals can make choices that reflect their true desires.
However, this theme is complicated by the realization that the paths they walk may have been set in motion long before their actions. The characters’ struggles with fate often blur the lines between what is meant to be and what is chosen, ultimately suggesting that while fate may play a significant role in shaping their lives, their choices still carry weight in determining their futures.
In the end, the narrative leaves readers questioning the true nature of destiny and whether it is possible to escape the roles assigned to them by the universe.