Chapter 23 Summary: Breathe In, Bleed Out
⚠️ 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
Hannah goes to Kimi’s yurt, convinced she’s performing a dark ritual. Instead she finds Kimi smoking weed and listening to music. Kimi—real name Kimberly—explains the retreat is a “gross-ass cultural appropriation buffet” and that she works for Pax’s money. She reveals the “ayahuasca” Hannah drank was actually chamomile tea with twigs—a placebo. Before Hannah can process this, Pax arrives and warns Kimi there will be “consequences” if she talks to guests again. Hannah retrieves her phone (no service) and returns to her yurt, where she sees a spider consuming flies. She feels she should warn Tess and Miles but doesn’t know what to say.
Key Events
- Hannah bursts into Kimi’s yurt expecting a shamanic ritual but finds Kimi high on marijuana.
- Kimi shares her real name (Kimberly) and admits she hates the retreat’s inauthentic cultural performance.
- Kimi confesses that the ceremonial drink Hannah took was only chamomile tea—a placebo.
- Pax catches them together, threatens Kimi (“consequences”), and orders Hannah back to her yurt.
- Hannah retrieves her phone but finds no cell service and low battery.
- In her yurt, Hannah sees a spider’s web holding three fresh flies, symbolizing the group’s entrapment.
Character Development
- Hannah realizes how easily she fell for stereotypes and racist assumptions about Kimi. She starts to question her own judgment and the retreat’s facade. Her trust in Pax erodes.
- Kimi drops her “docile native servant” performance to reveal a cynical, intelligent woman trapped by economic necessity. She defies Pax in small ways (giving Hannah her phone back) but submits under direct threat.
- Pax shows his controlling side, using veiled threats to maintain his authority. He prioritizes his “built” experience over honesty.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Deception vs. authenticity: The “ayahuasca” is fake, the cultural artifacts are stolen, and Kimi’s persona is a performance. Only the spider’s web is genuine in its predatory purpose.
- Cultural appropriation: Kimi calls out the mix of Mongolian, Chinese, Hindu, and Native American elements as a “buffet” designed for white guests.
- Belief and reality: Kimi tells Hannah that if something feels real to you, “then it’s just fucking real.” This blurs the line between genuine spiritual experience and manufactured ritual.
- The spider’s web: The three fresh flies represent Hannah, Tess, and Miles—trapped in Pax’s web, waiting to be consumed.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the turning point where the retreat’s illusion cracks. Kimi’s confession destroys the last shred of Hannah’s belief in the supernatural events. Pax’s threat reveals the operation’s darker, coercive side. The spider imagery foreshadows that the trio is in real danger, not from ghosts but from a human predator. Hannah’s isolation (no phone service) heightens the suspense.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Kimi’s revelation about the “ayahuasca” change the reader’s understanding of earlier events?
Answer: The earlier chase through the boulder field and Hannah’s visions were not caused by a drug but by her own psychological state. This shifts the story from supernatural horror to psychological thriller—the danger may be real, but the source is Pax’s manipulation, not Waylon Barlow’s ghost.
2. What does Kimi mean when she says the retreat is a “gross-ass cultural appropriation buffet”?
Answer: She points out that the yurt is Central Asian, the gong is Chinese, the figurines are Buddhist, the tapestries are Hindu, and the artifacts are from various Native American tribes—all jumbled together for a fake “authentic” experience that disrespects each culture. It’s a critique of how Pax commodifies spirituality for profit.
3. Why does Hannah decide not to warn Tess and Miles immediately?
Answer: After witnessing Pax’s threat to Kimi, Hannah has “more questions than answers.” She doesn’t have concrete proof of danger, only unease. She also may fear that raising alarm will alienate her friends or make things worse. The spider image suggests she feels trapped and unsure how to act.
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