Chapter 136 Summary: Gwen’s Disinformation Strategy
⚠️ 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
At two in the morning, Gwen steps onto the back porch to clear her head and count planes leaving Portland. Robin joins her, using her glass e-cigarette. The others have just departed: Allie is staying with Tana for the night, and the two have crafted a cover story for Donna. Allie will pretend she was rescued from a drunken hitchhiking episode and now needs sobriety—a story designed to allay any suspicion Colin might have after accessing Gwen’s phone. The group agreed to run a disinformation operation: Gwen will publicly cut ties with Allie, giving Allie her best chance to steal the robe from Colin’s Cabinet of Curiosities. Robin asks Gwen about the cracked mirror she mentioned earlier; Gwen deflects, saying she will explain later. Robin then observes that Allie seems diminished by grief and self-hatred, linking her destructive relationship with Donna to internalized shame. Robin shares her own past of seeking punishment for being trans. The conversation turns grim: Robin asks about funeral preferences, and Gwen dryly notes that if things go wrong, King Sorrow will likely cremate her.
Key Events
- Gwen goes outside at 2 a.m.; Robin joins her.
- Allie and Tana have left to execute a plan: Allie will apologize to Donna and claim she needs sobriety.
- The group decides to run a disinformation operation: Gwen will text Allie that she never wants to see her again.
- Allie reluctantly agrees to pretend a falling-out, as it is their best chance to get the robe.
- Robin asks about the cracked mirror; Gwen postpones the explanation.
- Robin discusses Allie’s grief and self-loathing, connecting it to her own history of seeking abuse as a trans woman.
- The chapter closes with dark banter about funerals and King Sorrow’s fire.
Character Development
- Gwen takes leadership of the group’s counter‑intelligence strategy, borrowing Colin’s own tactics. She shows tactical ruthlessness in proposing to fake a breakup with Allie.
- Robin reveals vulnerability and insight: she shares her past experience of internalized self‑hatred, offering a compassionate lens on Allie’s behavior. Her question about the cracked mirror shows she is paying close attention to every detail of the plan.
- Allie is portrayed as exhausted and fragile, but she agrees to the deception for the sake of the mission. Her grief over Van and Donna is described as a “wasting illness.”
- Tana plays a supporting role in the cover story, helping Allie with the sobriety narrative and forbidding further group texts.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Disinformation and counter‑deception: The group intentionally creates a false narrative to fool Colin, mirroring his own manipulative methods. The strategy underscores the novel’s interest in truth and performance.
- Grief as a wasting illness: Robin explicitly likens Allie’s state to an illness—grief consuming her. This motif recurs in the way characters cope by constructing elaborate roles.
- Self‑punishment and internalized shame: Robin’s confession about seeking beatings because she was trans connects Allie’s love for the unobtainable Donna to a pattern of self‑inflicted emotional punishment. The cracked mirror may symbolize fractured identity or a healing tool.
- Dragons and armor: Robin and Gwen describe themselves as “puffing like dragons” and needing to “armor up.” This imagery evokes the idea of becoming fierce protectors of their own lives.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter solidifies the group’s active resistance against Colin Wren and King Sorrow. It shows Gwen moving from a reactive to a proactive role, orchestrating a psychological operation that will likely drive the plot forward. Robin’s personal disclosure deepens her character and provides a thematic anchor for understanding Allie’s pain. The mention of the cracked mirror and the funeral banter foreshadow violent confrontation and potential sacrifice.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Gwen propose that she and Allie have a public falling-out?
Gwen suggests the falling-out to give Allie a credible reason to get close to Colin and access the robe. By appearing estranged from Gwen, Allie can avoid raising Colin’s suspicions when she operates inside the Cabinet of Curiosities. -
What does Robin reveal about her own past, and how does that connect to Allie’s situation?
Robin reveals that she used to “like being beaten up by men” because she had internalized the idea that there was something abhorrent about being trans. She sees the same self‑punishment in Allie’s attraction to Donna, who is emotionally unavailable and treats Allie poorly. -
What is the significance of the cracked mirror mentioned earlier by Gwen?
The full significance is deferred, but Gwen says it “came in handy once before.” The mirror may be a tool from her past used to deceive or escape a threat. Its reappearance suggests it will play a pivotal role in the plan against King Sorrow.