Chapter 170: A Dragon in the War
⚠️ 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
In late winter of 2022, Gwen travels to London for Robin Fellows’s retirement party. She attends even though Robin published Arthur’s book—a book that lists Gwen as coauthor at Robin’s insistence. Gwen feels she contributed little; she merely completed the blanks Arthur left, as she had done for the crosswords they once shared. The book has achieved modest success.
The celebration takes place on the publishing house roof overlooking the Thames. A champagne fountain flows, waiters serve small cakes, and famous writers such as David Mitchell, Donna Tartt, and Francis Spufford give speeches. A Friends actor attends, connected to a memoir Robin will publish after retiring. Gwen watches sunset behind the London Eye, feeling the breeze and hearing lively conversation and Robin’s laughter. She wishes she could stay in London for years, admitting to herself that wanting England is the same as wanting Arthur. She walks Robin home across Westminster Bridge after eleven; Robin is tipsy and singing. That night, Russia invades Ukraine.
In the following days, Gwen and Robin sit in Robin’s flat watching news coverage: tanks rolling toward Kyiv, buildings struck by missiles. On March 9, a bombing hits a maternity ward in Mariupol, killing a pregnant woman and stillborn baby. In the flash of an explosion, Gwen sees a dragon with black bat‑like wings and open jaws. She grabs Robin’s hand, and Robin’s squeeze confirms she saw it too. Gwen gasps, recalling earlier disasters: the California wildfires, the Notre‑Dame fire, the Beirut explosion (which she dismisses as ammonium nitrate). She insists they must try to stop the dragon, but Robin replies, “We can’t fight all the dragons ourselves, love.” Let someone else have a turn.
Key Events
- Gwen attends Robin Fellows’s retirement party in London.
- The party is on a rooftop with a view of the Thames; celebrity writers and an actor are present.
- Gwen wishes to remain in London, linking that desire to Arthur.
- She walks Robin home across Westminster Bridge on the night Russia invades Ukraine.
- In the days after, they watch war coverage.
- On March 9, a maternity ward in Mariupol is bombed.
- In the explosion’s flash, Gwen sees a dragon and realizes Robin saw it too.
- Gwen connects the dragon to earlier disasters (California wildfires, Notre‑Dame, Beirut).
- Robin dismisses the idea of fighting all dragons themselves.
Character Development
Gwen: This chapter deepens her sense of shared responsibility and dread. She moves from nostalgic longing for Arthur and London to confronting a new, global threat. Her recognition of the dragon—and her insistence on acting—shows a survivor’s instinct, but also a weariness from her long history with dragons. Her chest pain (from old broken ribs) returns, emphasizing how past trauma resurfaces.
Robin Fellows: Robin remains a grounding, pragmatic presence. She enjoys her retirement party but later witnesses the dragon without panic. Her response—“let someone else have a turn”—suggests resignation or wisdom: she knows the fight against dragons is endless and that individuals cannot bear the burden alone.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
Dragons as Recurring Evil: The dragon glimpsed in the explosion is another manifestation of the malevolent force that has haunted Gwen. It links the intimate horrors of Arthur’s story to world‑scale destruction: war, fire, and political violence are all tied to the same evil.
Shared Vision and Trauma: Both Gwen and Robin see the dragon, confirming its reality. This shared sight reinforces the idea that evil is not just personal but collective. The experience binds them in a new understanding of the world.
The Limits of Individual Action: Robin’s final line—that they cannot fight all dragons themselves—underscores a theme of scale. No single person (or pair) can confront every source of horror. This echoes earlier moments where Gwen felt powerless against larger forces.
The Book as Legacy: Arthur’s book, coauthored by Gwen, has had moderate success but does not dominate the plot. Instead, the chapter’s emotional weight falls on Gwen’s desire for connection (to Arthur via London) and her encounter with fresh destruction. The book is a means to an end, not the end itself.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter shifts the conflict from a local, personal threat (the dragons of Arthur’s life) to a global arena. By placing a dragon amid real‑world events—the invasion of Ukraine—the story argues that historical catastrophes may have supernatural origins. It escalates the stakes: Gwen now believes many dragons exist, each causing suffering on a massive scale. Her partnership with Robin takes on new urgency, even as Robin counsels restraint. The chapter also sets up the possibility that other characters (or “someone else”) might take up the fight, widening the narrative scope for future chapters.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Gwen think she saw a dragon in the bombing flash, and how does she connect it to earlier disasters?
The explosion at the maternity ward briefly reveals a dragon with bat‑like wings. Gwen recalls the California wildfires, the Notre‑Dame fire, and the Beirut explosion, all of which she now believes were caused by similar dragons. These events, previously explained by mundane causes (e.g., ammonium nitrate), are reinterpreted as supernatural attacks.
2. What is the significance of Robin’s response, “We can’t fight all the dragons ourselves”?
Robin acknowledges the overwhelming scale of the threat. She suggests that Gwen (and they as a pair) cannot be the sole defenders against multiple dragons. This introduces the possibility that other characters or forces will have to act, and it also shows a contrast between Gwen’s impulse to intervene and Robin’s acceptance of limits.
3. How does the London setting and the retirement party contrast with the subsequent war imagery?
The party is idyllic: a beautiful rooftop, champagne, famous authors, and a sunset. Gwen feels perfect happiness and a longing to stay. The invasion of Ukraine that same night shatters that peace, creating a stark contrast between personal celebration and global tragedy. This mirrors the sharp transition from Arthur’s private story to public, historical horror.