Chapter 3 Summary and Analysis: Key Events, Characters, and Themes

⚠️ 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 with Sabrina Hollow arriving at school still hungry, despite having eaten breakfast. She recalls a recent incident where she consumed two weeks’ worth of groceries in one sitting—bread, olives, eggs, chickpeas, carrots, chips, salsa, avocados, and more—without gaining any weight. The hunger is a persistent, unexplained part of her life, one she cannot control or understand.

At school, Sabrina is jumpy and on edge. A car door slamming in the drop-off line makes her flinch. She notices that her fingers smell putrid, even after washing them three times. The smell comes from a flower she plucked from a photograph of her sister Grey. The flower has waxy petals and roots that thread into the paper like stitches. Sabrina recognizes it as a design Grey had embroidered on many of her creations. When she smelled it, expecting a sweet scent, she was hit with the stench of raw meat and garbage. She left the flower and the files in her mother’s drawer and slammed the door.

The school itself feels like a sanctuary to Sabrina—a place of rules, uniforms, and fluorescent lighting that keeps the strangeness of her life at bay. She hurries to the library for her tutoring session with Paisley, a twelve-year-old student. Paisley immediately brings up rumors that the Hollow sisters are witches, claiming they were expelled for sacrificing a teacher to the devil. Sabrina deflects, joking that she is a mermaid. Paisley then asks why Sabrina’s hair is white. Sabrina lies, saying she bleaches it. In truth, she once tried to dye it darker, but the dye had no effect—her hair remained its natural milky blond.

Paisley reveals that this will be their last session. Her parents, who are deeply religious, have heard “concerning accusations” about the Hollow sisters and no longer want Sabrina tutoring their daughter. Paisley hands over an envelope with a note from her mother requesting a refund for the remaining term. Paisley leaves, and Sabrina is left alone.

Jennifer Weir then emerges from the stacks. Jennifer, along with her friend Justine Khan, has bullied Sabrina for years. Jennifer asks Sabrina to introduce her to Grey at a gig that night at the Camden Jazz Café, where Grey’s band is playing. Sabrina recalls the history of torment: Jennifer ignoring her, Justine writing “witch” on her locker in blood, slipping dead birds into her backpack, and sprinkling broken glass over her lunch. Jennifer’s request is purely opportunistic—she wants access to Grey’s fame. Sabrina tears up Paisley’s note and checks the countdown timer on her phone, which shows hundreds of days until graduation.

In English class, Sabrina sits by the window with her annotated copy of Frankenstein, which she has read twice, searching for patterns and hidden meanings. As it drizzles outside, she spots the man in the bull skull watching her through the window.

Key Events

Sabrina’s insatiable hunger is introduced; she eats two weeks of groceries without gaining weight.
She plucks a supernatural flower from a photograph of Grey; it smells of rot and is left in her mother’s drawer.
At school, Sabrina lies about her white hair, revealing that dye has no effect on it.
Paisley’s parents cancel tutoring due to the Hollow sisters’ reputation, and Sabrina receives a refund request.
Jennifer Weir approaches Sabrina, asking for an introduction to Grey at a gig that night.
Sabrina tears up the note and reflects on years of bullying from Jennifer and Justine.
In English class, the man in the bull skull appears outside the window, watching Sabrina.

Character Development

Sabrina Hollow – This chapter deepens Sabrina’s sense of isolation and otherness. Her hunger is a physical manifestation of a void she cannot fill, and her inability to change her appearance (the failed dye) reinforces that she is stuck in a body and identity she cannot escape. She lies to Paisley about her hair, showing her desire to appear normal. Her reaction to Jennifer’s request—tearing up the note and counting down to graduation—reveals her resentment and her longing to leave Highgate Wood behind. Yet she still seeks order and meaning, as seen in her obsessive reading of Frankenstein.

Paisley – Though a minor character, Paisley serves as a mirror for the rumors that follow the Hollow sisters. She is a natural coder, but her parents’ religious beliefs override her own curiosity. Her departure highlights how the sisters’ legacy taints Sabrina’s opportunities.

Jennifer Weir – Jennifer’s sudden friendliness is transparently self-serving. She wants to meet Grey for social gain, not out of genuine kindness. Her interaction with Sabrina underscores the bullying Sabrina has endured and the social hierarchy that still excludes her.

The man in the bull skull – Though he appears only at the end, his presence is a threat. He is a recurring figure who watches Sabrina, suggesting that the supernatural elements of the story are closing in on her even at school.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Insatiable Hunger – Sabrina’s hunger is both literal and metaphorical. She eats enormous amounts without gaining weight, suggesting a deeper emptiness—perhaps a loss of identity or a connection to the supernatural. The hunger is a constant reminder that she is not like other girls.

Supernatural Flowers – The flower plucked from Grey’s photograph is a symbol of the sisters’ unnatural connection to the world. It smells of decay, not sweetness, and its roots stitch into paper, blurring the line between reality and image. The flower also links Sabrina to Grey, even though Grey is absent.

Unchangeable Appearance – Sabrina’s white hair cannot be dyed, symbolizing her inability to escape her identity as a Hollow sister. The dye failure is a moment of horror, as she realizes she is permanently marked.

Witch Rumors and Ostracism – The rumors about the Hollow sisters are a form of social control. They isolate Sabrina, cost her tutoring income, and make her a target for bullying. The school’s long memory means she is forever associated with her sisters’ supposed crimes.

School as Sanctuary – Sabrina views Highgate Wood as a refuge from the strangeness of her home life. The rules and structure provide comfort, but the chapter shows that even this sanctuary is not safe—the man in the bull skull appears outside the window, and the rumors follow her inside.

The Man in the Bull Skull – This figure represents the encroaching supernatural threat. His appearance at the end of the chapter suggests that Sabrina cannot outrun the mysteries of her family, no matter how hard she tries to find normalcy.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter establishes the central conflict of Sabrina’s life: her desperate desire to be ordinary versus the inescapable strangeness of her family. It introduces key elements—the hunger, the supernatural flower, the failed dye—that will likely play a role in the larger mystery. The chapter also deepens the theme of ostracism, showing how the Hollow sisters’ reputation affects Sabrina’s social and financial stability. The appearance of the man in the bull skull at the end raises the stakes, hinting that the supernatural world is not content to leave Sabrina alone. Finally, the chapter sets up the upcoming gig at the Camden Jazz Café, where Grey will perform, creating a potential point of contact between Sabrina and her sister.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Sabrina lie to Paisley about bleaching her hair?

Sabrina lies because she wants to appear normal and avoid explaining the supernatural truth—that her hair is naturally white and cannot be dyed. The lie is a defense mechanism to keep her distance from the rumors and to protect herself from further ostracism.

2. What does the flower from Grey’s photograph symbolize, and why does Sabrina leave it in her mother’s drawer?

The flower symbolizes the unnatural connection between the Hollow sisters and the supernatural. Its putrid smell contrasts with its delicate appearance, suggesting that beauty can hide decay. Sabrina leaves it in her mother’s drawer because she wants to rid herself of the reminder of Grey’s influence, but the act also shows she cannot fully sever that tie.

3. How does the chapter use the school setting to highlight Sabrina’s isolation?

The school is described as a sanctuary, but it is also a place where Sabrina is bullied and where rumors follow her. The tutoring session ends because of her sisters’ reputation, and Jennifer’s request is purely transactional. Even in a structured environment, Sabrina is alone—the man in the bull skull watching her through the window underscores that she cannot escape her fate.