While the information, assistance and protection provided by friends and allies prove important to the plot, the relationships formed between the various characters are the emotional heart of the story. By emphasizing the power of these alliances, James Ponti sends a strong message of unity and trust, which helps counteract the powerlessness that children have in an adult world that exists beyond their control and exerts undue influence on their lives. Thanks to his supportive allies, Florian can act with confidence and agency.

Friends are Florian’s most important sources of help in overcoming obstacles, for they offer both practical and emotional support. On the most basic level, Florian and Margaret’s strong alliance also affects the plot, for many clues and situations require them to work together, as when they both observe different traits of the copyist in the museum. They urge each other to pursue ideas and help boost the other’s courage but they also advise caution when one of them makes a bad decision, as when Florian decides to risk a visit to the Romanian embassy. The heart of the novel, however, is the emotional connection between the two protagonists. Florian is lonely until he finds Margaret, and she is the first to truly accept and embrace his quirks.