This book deals with the loss of family (Sabriel's and Touchstone's) and coming to terms with oneself and one's responsibilities. Abhorsen's final words to Sabriel, "Everyone and everything has a time to die," refer to the idea of sacrifice. Another theme is that of destiny. Both the Book of the Dead and Sabriel's almanac contain the lines:
Does the Walker choose the Path, or the Path the Walker?
The book departs from the conventional form of fantasy in its resolution not to allude to the stereotypes of the genre. Death is not considered a bad thing as such, and loss is shown to be something that builds character. It also lacks a normal fantasy's sheer cast list, of which there are typically hundreds of incidental characters and many hero-helpers.
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