Chapter Thirteen: Effy's Crisis of Faith and Preston's Confession
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Preston drives Effy back to Hiraeth after their visit to Blackmar. Effy weeps over the photographs of Blackmar's daughter and the letters revealing Myrddin's predatory behavior. Preston pulls over to comfort her. Effy confesses that she now sees Myrddin as a lecherous old man and Angharad as a lie; there is no magic or Fairy King. Preston shares his own painful story: his father suffered a traumatic brain injury that the doctors misdiagnosed as a simple recovery, but the underlying hydrocephalus—fluid buildup on the brain—gradually eroded his personality until he died. Effy is moved by his vulnerability.
They return to Hiraeth just before midnight. The next morning, Ianto is furious about an approaching storm that will wash away the road. He demands the architectural blueprints. Effy lies, promising them in two days. Ianto then dismisses Preston and confronts Effy alone, accusing her of being an Acrasia—a temptress—and implying that men cannot control themselves around her. Effy feels trapped and panicked.
Upstairs, Preston has retrieved the photographs from Blackmar's house. They deduce that Blackmar's daughter visited Hiraeth, meaning the affair continued after Angharad's publication. Effy resolves to steal the key to the flooded basement and swim through the dark water to find evidence, despite Preston's fear of drowning.
Their emotional tension culminates when Effy straddles Preston on the chaise. He halts the encounter, revealing he knows that her college adviser abused her. He refuses to become another man who uses her. Effy is hurt but eventually reassured as they admit their mutual desire and profound connection.
Key Events
- Effy breaks down crying in the car; Preston stops to comfort her.
- Preston reveals his father's death from hydrocephalus, explaining his fear of water and change.
- They return to Hiraeth before midnight.
- Ianto confronts them about the storm and demands the blueprints.
- Ianto speaks to Effy alone, labeling her a temptress and implying she is dangerous.
- Preston produces the stolen photographs of Blackmar's daughter.
- They realize the affair continued at Hiraeth after Angharad was published.
- Effy determines to break into the flooded basement for more evidence.
- Effy straddles Preston; he stops, citing her past abuse, and they confess their feelings.
Character Development
Effy: Experiences a crisis of identity after losing faith in Myrddin and the Fairy King. She initially sees herself as nothing more than a survival instinct. Through Preston's insistence, she begins to see survival as an action, not her whole self. She also reveals the truth about her abusive professor, showing vulnerability.
Preston: Opens up about his father's tragic illness, revealing his own history of loss and his fear of drowning. He demonstrates empathy and restraint by not taking advantage of Effy, proving he values her as a person.
Ianto: Displays a jealous and sinister side. By invoking the Acrasia/Amoret dichotomy, he gaslights Effy, mirroring the patterns of abuse from her past.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Water and slow erosion: Hydrocephalus—water on the brain—represents how identity can be gradually destroyed. The flooded basement, the dripping ceiling, and the approaching storm all echo this motif of drowning.
- Truth versus story: Effy's realization that Myrddin's writings are fabrications forces her to question all narratives. The epigraph about Acrasia and Amoret highlights how societies manipulate stories to control women.
- Survival as identity: Effy argues that she is only survival; Preston counters that survival is something she does, not what she is.
- Power and consent: The chapter contrasts Myrddin's exploitation of Blackmar's daughter with Preston's conscious choice to stop, demonstrating a healthier understanding of consent.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens the emotional bond between Effy and Preston through mutual vulnerability. It strips away Effy's last illusions about Myrddin, forcing her to confront a world without magical meaning. Ianto's accusation plants seeds of danger and reinforces the novel's critique of patriarchal control. The plan to explore the flooded basement drives the mystery toward its climax.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why is Effy so devastated by the photographs and letters?
They prove that Myrddin exploited a young woman, shattering Effy's belief in Angharad and the Fairy King. She feels that without that story, everything she trusted is a lie, and she is reduced to a "mad girl." -
How does Preston's father's illness relate to the novel's water imagery?
Hydrocephalus—water building up in the skull—mirrors the gradual loss of self that Effy fears. The slow accretion of fluid parallels the way secrets and lies have accumulated in the house, and it explains Preston's deep fear of drowning. -
Why does Preston stop Effy when she straddles him?
He knows about her abusive relationship with her college adviser. He refuses to be another man who uses her for physical gratification. His decision shows he cares about her consent and autonomy, and wants their connection to be based on more than just desire.