Chapter 35: Summary, Analysis, and Study Notes

⚠️ 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

The chapter opens at dawn in Sydney on December 20, 2018. Jess watches from her bedroom window as Polly leaves the house and heads toward the cove. They have not yet spoken about the recording they heard the night before, in which Nora confessed to taking baby Thea. Jess spends the night replaying the tape in her mind, now understanding that Nora, in her confusion, had mistaken Jess for Isabel and feared Marcus Summers, not Mr. Bridges. The arrival of Marcus's letter had terrified Nora enough to send her to the attic.

Jess receives an email from Rowena Carrick, a university professor she had contacted about poisons. Rowena explains that algae bloom toxins were detectable in 1959, but other poisons like tetrodotoxin were not, because the science to isolate them didn't exist yet. This deflates Jess's hope that the Turner family's deaths were accidental poisoning. She had wanted to believe Isabel hadn't intended to kill herself and her older children, especially now that she knows the baby left behind was her own mother.

Jess decides to walk down to the cove to be with Polly. Polly is floating in the harbor, reflecting on her identity as Thea Turner. She recalls a trip she made to Tambilla in December 1989, when she spontaneously drove from Brisbane to the Adelaide Hills. She visited the water hole where the Turner family had died, felt a strange sense of rightness, and was at peace. Polly returns to shore, and the two discuss the upcoming meeting with Nora's solicitor. Polly tries to tell Jess something important but stops, feeling that any explanation would sound like an excuse. She then recalls a memory of rescuing young Jess from crabs on the beach, but Jess doesn't remember it, leaving Polly feeling completely alone.

Key Events

Jess realizes Nora had mistaken her for Isabel and feared Marcus Summers.
Rowena Carrick's email reveals that algae toxins were detectable in 1959, but tetrodotoxin was not, undermining Jess's accidental-poisoning theory.
Jess walks to the cove to join Polly, hoping to share the news and find comfort.
Polly floats in the harbor, reflecting on her identity as Thea Turner and recalling her 1989 trip to Tambilla.
Polly and Jess discuss the upcoming meeting with Nora's solicitor.
Polly attempts to share a personal revelation but stops, feeling her explanations would sound like excuses.
Polly recalls rescuing young Jess from crabs, but Jess doesn't remember, deepening Polly's sense of isolation.

Character Development

Jess is grappling with the emotional fallout of Nora's confession. She reinterprets her grandmother's final words, now understanding the fear that drove Nora. Jess's hope for an accidental-poisoning explanation is dashed, forcing her to confront the possibility that Isabel intended harm. She also feels a growing desire to connect with Polly, but their relationship remains strained.

Polly experiences a profound shift in self-understanding. Learning that she is Thea Turner explains her lifelong sense of difference from Nora and the suffocating anxiety in their relationship. Her 1989 visit to Tambilla, which she had kept secret, becomes a touchstone for her identity. She wants to be honest with Jess but is paralyzed by fear of judgment. The chapter ends with her feeling isolated when Jess fails to remember a cherished moment, highlighting the emotional distance that persists between them.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Identity and Truth: Polly's realization that she is Thea Turner reshapes her sense of self. The chapter explores how hidden truths can distort a person's understanding of their own life.

Memory and Forgetting: Jess's inability to recall the crab incident contrasts with Polly's vivid memory, underscoring how memory shapes relationships and how forgetting can deepen isolation.

Motherhood and Sacrifice: Polly's reflections on her decision to let Jess live with Nora reveal the painful sacrifices she made, driven by fear of her own past actions.

Nature as Healing: Polly's immersion in the harbor and her earlier visit to the water hole suggest that nature offers a form of solace and connection to her origins.

Secrets and Lies: The chapter emphasizes the corrosive effect of secrets, as Nora's confession and Polly's hidden trip to Tambilla continue to affect the present.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens the emotional impact of Nora's confession by showing how it reverberates through both Jess and Polly. It reveals Polly's secret visit to Tambilla, linking her to the novel's central mystery and her true identity. The chapter also highlights the persistent communication gap between mother and daughter, setting up the possibility of reconciliation or further estrangement. The poison email adds a crucial plot development, steering the investigation away from accidental death and toward more deliberate possibilities.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Jess feel deflated after reading Rowena Carrick's email?

Jess had hoped that the Turner family's deaths were caused by accidental blue-green algae poisoning. Rowena's email explains that algae toxins were detectable in 1959, so the medical examiner would likely have run that test. Other poisons like tetrodotoxin were not detectable, but the idea of accidental poisoning becomes less plausible. This forces Jess to confront the possibility that Isabel intentionally harmed her family, which is especially painful now that she knows the surviving baby was her own mother.

What does Polly's 1989 trip to Tambilla reveal about her state of mind?

Polly's spontaneous drive to Tambilla, prompted by Nora's decision to keep Jess in Sydney for a drama course, shows her resentment and desire to reclaim something from her past. She visits the water hole where the Turner family died and feels a strange sense of rightness and peace, despite the tragedy. This suggests an unconscious connection to her origins and a need to confront the place that shaped her identity, even before she knew the full truth.

Why does Polly feel isolated at the end of the chapter?

Polly tries to share a cherished memory of rescuing young Jess from crabs on the beach, but Jess doesn't remember it. This small rejection, coming after Polly's failed attempt to confess her deeper fears, makes her feel completely alone. It underscores the emotional distance that has grown between them, despite their shared experience of Nora's confession.