Chapter summaries I Think We've Been Here Before Suzy Krause

Chapter 73: 70 – Summary and Analysis

⚠️ 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 the group of friends and family huddled in a basement shelter. Battery-powered Christmas lights provide the only illumination, and the windows are covered in a final, desperate attempt at survival — though everyone knows it is likely futile. The air feels thick and makes them sleepy. Nora thinks about Petra and about holding one’s breath, waiting for what comes next.

Boredom creeps in, and Iver breaks the silence with a story about his late wife. This prompts a cascade of shared memories: embarrassing anecdotes, happy moments, and questions directed at Alfie, who is usually the one listening in the background. Jacob sits on the floor beside Nora, making paper snowflakes under Irene’s guidance. The atmosphere takes on a celebratory quality, like a memorial luncheon for someone who has lived a full life. Nora reflects on the concept of Leise Park (Quiet Park) — a place where joy coexists with the dead, and realizes their basement has become exactly that.

Alfie, for the first time, is an active participant in such a gathering. She hugs everyone, experiencing a joy she had never tasted before. Hilda watches her and wonders if it is tragic or beautiful that Alfie found this connection at the very end. Hilda herself feels a sense of peace. She understands what Marlen meant about being used to dying. Marlen’s voice rumbles from the darkness, asking if she is okay, and she honestly replies that she is. Her daughter is there, tangible proof of a truth she learned twenty years ago: My body knows what to do, and everything is going to be okay.

Hank suggests uncovering the windows, arguing that the coverings offer no real protection. Irene agrees, wanting to see everyone. Ole adds that he wants to see what it looks like. After a brief silence, Hilda also agrees. They rip away the coverings, revealing a triangle of strange pink light, which then becomes a rectangle. The room is bathed in a soft, eerie glow. Jacob warns everyone not to get too close, comparing it to a solar eclipse. Nora’s cat ignores the warning and climbs into the window well to bask in the light.

Peering outside, they see thick, pink smog — which Marlen identifies as photochemical smog. He is proud to have predicted it correctly. Ole feels a strong sense of déjà vu, recalling the summer of tornadoes when he hid in this same basement and watched his mother try not to cry. He takes her hand now. Irene looks away, not wanting him to see her holding back tears. She reflects on the difficulty of being the parent, of balancing caution with anxiety, and realizes that the only thing that ever mattered was that they were together.

The basement grows warmer and the air thicker. Hilda bites her tongue to avoid mentioning Marlen’s novel about air turning to plasma at the end. She picks up his book and turns to the last page. Suddenly, a bright flash and a thunderous crash come from everywhere at once — inside their heads and feet, down their arms, through the attic and basement, into every stalk of wheat in the fields. The sound, in all its furious power and blinding light, is not the end. It is the beginning of the same as last time, but better.

Key Events

  • The group covers the windows, then later decides to uncover them.
  • Iver shares a story about his late wife, sparking a round of family storytelling.
  • Jacob makes paper snowflakes with Irene, providing a calming distraction.
  • Nora mentally compares the basement to Leise Park (Quiet Park), a place of joy among the dead.
  • Alfie experiences a new sense of belonging and freedom, hugging everyone.
  • Hilda finds peace beside Marlen, trusting her body’s instincts.
  • The windows are uncovered, revealing pink photochemical smog.
  • Ole feels a powerful déjà vu, reminiscent of past tornadoes.
  • Irene remembers teaching her son to cross the street and the importance of being together.
  • A massive flash and sound occur, perceived as a new beginning rather than an end.

Character Development

Nora shows acceptance of fate, holding Jacob’s hand and drawing strength from their connection. She reinterprets the basement as a place of quiet joy.

Jacob remains calm and protective, warning others about the eclipse-like danger and staying close to Nora.

Hilda reaches a state of inner peace, reassured by Marlen’s presence and the knowledge that her body knows what to do. She chooses not to voice her darker thoughts.

Alfie transforms from a passive observer to an active participant, embracing others and discovering a part of herself she had never known.

Irene struggles to stay strong for her son Ole, but ultimately cherishes the moment they share, realizing that togetherness is all that matters.

Marlen takes pride in correctly predicting the photochemical smog, showcasing his intellectual curiosity even at the end.

Iver uses storytelling to lift the group’s spirits, honoring his late wife’s memory.

Ole experiences déjà vu and instinctively reaches for his mother’s hand, showing a childlike need for comfort despite his age.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Déjà vu runs through the chapter, echoing the book’s title and suggesting that events are repeating, perhaps with slight improvements. Ole explicitly says, “I have that feeling like I’ve been here before.”

Leise Park (Quiet Park) serves as a symbol for finding joy and silliness in the presence of death. The basement becomes their Leise Park, a space where laughter and paper snowflakes coexist with the end.

Paper snowflakes represent fragile, temporary beauty — like the lives of the characters themselves. They are “nice distractions” that bring comfort.

Photochemical smog and plasma embody the scientific reality of the disaster, but also the characters’ attempts to understand and name what is happening.

Family stories become a way to celebrate life and connection in the face of oblivion, turning the basement into a “memorial luncheon.”

“The beginning of the same as last time, but better” hints at cyclical time and the possibility of growth or redemption, no matter how small.

Why This Chapter Matters

This is the climactic chapter of the novel, where the group’s long-anticipated end finally arrives. Rather than focusing on terror, the chapter emphasizes human connection, memory, and acceptance. The decision to uncover the windows signifies a shift from futile survival to openness and solidarity. The flash and sound are not presented as a final destruction but as a transition — “the beginning of the same as last time, but better.” This ties directly to the book’s central mystery about déjà vu and repeated lives. For readers, this chapter resolves the narrative tension while leaving a glimmer of hope.

Study Questions and Answers

1. What does the pink light remind Nora of, and why is that significant?
The pink light reminds Nora of the light in Berlin reflecting off old buildings. This connection bridges her past experiences with the present moment, implying that even in catastrophe there can be beauty and continuity.

2. How does the act of uncovering the windows symbolize a shift in the characters’ mindset?
Covering the windows was a desperate, futile attempt at survival. By uncovering them, the characters choose to see each other and the outside world clearly, prioritizing human connection over the illusion of safety. It marks a collective acceptance of their fate.

3. Explain what “Leise Park” means to Nora in this chapter.
Leise Park translates to “Quiet Park” — a place where joyful activity happens near the dead, without irreverence. Nora sees the basement as their personal Leise Park, a space where they can still be silly and beautiful even as death approaches.

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