Chapter 38 Summary: The 1988 Halloween Party at Seaglass

⚠️ 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

Chapter 38 is a flashback set in 1988, told from thirteen-year-old Daisy’s point of view. At Rose’s sixteenth birthday party on Blacksand Bay, Rose and Conor (dressed as a lion and a pumpkin) run off down the beach. Daisy, wearing a ghost costume, stays by the fire feeling ill from wine. A teenage boy from the party sits beside her, removes her sheet, and pressures her into a game he calls “trick-or-treat.” He uses a rigged chocolate‑coin trick to make Daisy remove her sheet and then her dungaree clips. When he attempts to kiss her and remove her bra to see her scar, Daisy protests and pushes him away. He calls her a “freak” as she flees.

Daisy then searches for her sisters and finds Lily (in underwear) talking to Conor behind the rocks. Lily tells Conor that Rose will dump him anyway and offers to “kiss it better.” They have sex while Daisy watches from above. Conor accidentally calls Lily “Rose.” Daisy slips on the rocks, and they both see her.

🔑 Key Events

The unnamed boy tricks Daisy into removing her ghost costume and touching her sexually.
Daisy stops the assault when the boy asks to see her heart scar; she runs away.
Daisy discovers Lily and Conor having sex behind the rocks.
Conor calls Lily “Rose” during the encounter.
Daisy is seen by them when she loses her footing on the rocks.

🧠 Character Development

Daisy Darker – At thirteen she is naive, lonely, and desperate for normal experiences because she believes she has only a short time to live. Her vulnerability is exploited, and the chapter solidifies her self‑image as a “freak” who will never be loved. The trauma shapes her adult relationships.
Lily Darker – Manipulative and attention‑seeking, Lily willingly betrays her sister Rose. She uses her sexuality to get what she wants, foreshadowing her lifelong pattern of deception.
Conor – Easily swayed by Lily’s advances, he fails to resist temptation despite claiming to love Rose. His weakness adds another layer to the family’s history of infidelity.
Rose Darker – Off‑screen for most of the chapter, her impending departure to university is cited by Lily as the reason the relationship with Conor is doomed.

🎭 Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

The “trick or treat” game – Represents how predatory behavior hides behind innocent‑sounding rules. The boy’s game is actually a tool for coercion.
The full moon and devil costume – Daisy recalls Nana’s lesson that the devil is the voice inside us that pretends not to see. The boy’s actions are a literal example.
The heart scar – Symbolizes Daisy’s physical and emotional vulnerability. The boy treats it as a curiosity, not part of her humanity.
The count “One Mississippi” – Daisy mentally counts while watching Lily and Conor, distancing herself from the trauma. It later becomes a motif in the novel for waiting and inevitability.
Clothing as armor – The ghost sheet hides Daisy; Lily’s dropped towel signals her willingness to betray.

❓ Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 38 provides the backstory for the deep fractures within the Darker family. Daisy’s childhood assault and her witnessing of Lily’s betrayal explain the tension, resentment, and secrets that drive the present‑day murders. It also humanizes Daisy, showing how her heart condition made her feel like a freak and vulnerable to exploitation. Without this chapter, the motives of several characters would remain opaque.

📝 Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Daisy allow the boy to play “trick-or-treat” with her, even after he removes her sheet?

Daisy is tired of being treated like a ghost. She craves normalcy and attention, especially after the boy compliments her. She wants to experience a typical teenage moment before her predicted early death, so she ignores her discomfort.

2. What does Lily’s behavior in this chapter reveal about her character?

Lily is opportunistic and willing to hurt her sister Rose to satisfy her own need for male attention. She manipulates Conor by predicting the end of his relationship with Rose and offers herself as a substitute. Her actions show a pattern of selfishness and betrayal.

3. How does the flashback change our understanding of Daisy’s adult relationships in the present?

It explains why Daisy keeps people at a distance and fears intimacy. She internalized the “freak” label and associates physical closeness with shame and violation. The betrayal she witnessed also undermines her trust in others.