I realize I'm in the minority, but after a lot of thought I decided that according to earth logic, by which action is understanding, the symbolic death plotline makes sense. I went on about it at greater length when I read it. I think the other thing is that the novel is secretly a Twelfth Night novel (it's signaled in the book that the climax takes place on the twelfth day after the winter solstice), which ties into themes of transformation and renewal. Um. I love this one the most out of all three of them, can you tell?