Brain Snacks: Tasty Tidbits of Knowledge
Seventh sons are a thing. They aren't a new concept or a fancy fad. In fact, the seventh son myth goes back centuries. Seventh sons are even rumored to be conflicted about the path of good versus the path of evil. Hm, sounds like Tom and Alice have more in common than we initially thought.
Blood magic is also an important myth in our world. Inspired by ancient sacrifices, it's now a trope that appears in everything from Pirates of the Caribbean to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and, of course, Revenge of the Witch.
That "County" the books are set in is real. Joseph Delaney based Tom's fictional County on real-world Lancashire County, where Delaney was born and raised. Maybe his house had a boggart problem, too…