The way that poverty has affected Gregor is omnipresent. He knows how to care for people and how to make food because his parents can't afford a sitter. He goes to the underland and suddenly he's among royalty and wealth. He remarks how when it's not about to go to war the underland is actually a nice escape from his life. When they're all forced to eat raw fish he notes how he's never been able to have sushi before.
I love how it's not something that just gets solved. Even when Vikus gives them cash in the clock it doesn't *last*. His mom says, "We're going to pay all the bills, and then we're going to have Christmas!". That's so *real*. Like, the series is fantasy but Gregor is still *forced* to live in the real world.
There's also this whole parallel between Ares and Gregor. Both of them were just nobodies having to live on the margins of society until someone wealthy finds a use for you. For Gregor it's Luxa, for Ares it was Henry.
Okay, so this isn't the most well put together or thought out of my rants but... Aughghfhg. The book with the giant sexy rat and the spider that makes you slippers is so god damn *real*.
