: A central theme is whether violent tendencies are inherited or created by environment. Seonkyeong constantly questions if Hayeong is "born bad" or a product of her traumatic past.

: Simultaneously, Hayeong comes to live with Seonkyeong and her husband, Jaeseong, after her maternal grandparents die in a suspicious house fire. Seonkyeong begins to notice unsettling behavioral parallels between the young girl and the serial killer, including chilling detachment and sudden violent rages. Key Themes & Motifs

The novel intertwines two primary story arcs that Seonkyeong must navigate: