Chapter 10 Summary, Themes, 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

Chapter Ten opens with Maddie packing her life into two suitcases. She reflects on how little she owns—variations of the same clothes—and how strange it feels to see her belongings reduced to so little. She says goodbye to her father, kissing his forehead, though his medication means he can't fully respond. As the Uber arrives, she briefly doubts her decision, but reminds herself that Dawoud has increased his hours at the shop. Her mother comes down in her dressing gown, hugs her, and prays for her safety, mentioning she'll visit next week to sprinkle holy water in the corners of the new flat.

Maddie arrives at the shared flat and finds the key under the mat as Jo promised. She's been added to the house group chat, where Jo and Cam have already planned a celebratory dinner. Before unpacking, she explores the flat—the sticky utensil drawer, the empty cupboards, the garden with its mismatched furniture and view of neighbors' gardens. She notices Jo's room is slightly bigger, with a lava lamp, a tower of books, and a clothing rack of colorful dresses.

Comparing her own meager wardrobe to Jo's, Maddie spends the morning online shopping, buying things she'd never normally wear—including a sunshine-yellow suit and tight dresses—because she can reinvent herself here. She types out The New Maddie list in her phone's Notes app: drinking alcohol when offered, always saying yes to social events, wearing new clothes, cooking new food, having new experiences, trying weed or cigarettes at least once, wearing makeup, going on dates, and not being a virgin.

She also thinks about Ben, whom she met at the theater. They text almost daily, but he hasn't asked her out yet, and she googles how long guys typically wait before asking someone on a date.

That afternoon, Maddie attends her interview at Orange Tree Publishing in Farringdon. She notices she's the only Black person in the room and has an internal debate about whether to ask about the company's diversity—deciding against it. Penny Reaser, the interviewer, describes the role as admin-heavy but with training on their database and pairing with a senior editor. Maddie completes two fifteen-minute tasks: marking up Penny's calendar and correcting a short story. She catches homophone errors, inconsistencies (a character with three different names), and overuse of commas. Penny seems impressed, especially with the calendar work, and says Maddie should hear back very soon.

Back at the flat, Maddie unpacks. Cam's door is shut, and Maddie googles whether she should knock on a new flatmate's door, deciding to leave her alone. When Jo arrives home, they head out for pizza at Joe Public in Clapham Common. Maddie orders a frozen cocktail despite not really drinking, remembering her New Maddie list.

At dinner, Cam spots Callum, a man who ghosted her friend Kirsten after three dates. This sparks a conversation about ghosting, dating, and casual relationships. Jo reveals she's seeing Sam—they're sleeping together but it's not serious—and that she's also messaging a guy from work named Conrad. Cam is more traditional about dating and skeptical of online dating. When Maddie mentions she's texting Ben from the theater, Jo suggests she ask him out, while Cam advises waiting for him to ask.

Key Events

Maddie leaves her parents' home with two suitcases, saying goodbye to both parents
She moves into the shared flat with Jo and Cam, exploring her new space and garden
She online shops for new clothes and writes The New Maddie list of goals
She interviews at Orange Tree Publishing with Penny Reaser, completing two editing tasks
She goes out for pizza with Jo and Cam, trying her first frozen cocktail
The dinner conversation covers ghosting (Callum and Kirsten), casual relationships (Jo and Sam), and Maddie's texting with Ben

Character Development

Maddie takes her biggest step toward independence in this chapter. Leaving home is emotionally complicated—she doubts herself at the door—but she follows through. Her New Maddie list shows she's actively constructing a new identity, though some items reveal her inexperience (she's never had the opportunity to drink, date, or try new things). She's also more career-focused, with a plan to move from admin work to a fiction department at OTP.

Jo is revealed as casual about dating and relationships. She's sleeping with Sam without wanting anything serious and is also messaging Conrad. She's warm and welcoming to Maddie, organizing the celebratory dinner.

Cam comes across as more traditional and skeptical about modern dating. She's protective of her friend Kirsten, dismissive of online dating, and advises Maddie to wait for Ben to make the first move.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Self-reinvention: The New Maddie list and the online shopping spree are the chapter's central expression of this theme. Maddie believes she can become cooler, more confident, and sophisticated by changing her clothes and behaviors.

Independence and freedom: Moving out, having her own space, and the fantasy of driving her own car at night all represent the freedom Maddie has been denied while living at home.

Modern dating: The dinner conversation about ghosting, casual relationships, and texting introduces the novel's exploration of contemporary dating norms. Maddie's confusion about Jo's casual arrangement with Sam highlights her inexperience.

Workplace diversity: Maddie's internal debate about being the only Black person at OTP raises questions about representation and whether she'd be hired as a token or on merit.

Manifestation: Maddie's belief that buying the yellow suit will create an opportunity to wear it reflects her attempt to actively shape her future.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter marks a major turning point in the novel. Maddie physically leaves her parents' home, establishing a new living situation that will shape the rest of the story. The interview at Orange Tree Publishing introduces a potential new career path, and the dinner with Jo and Cam establishes the flatmate dynamics and opens up conversations about dating and relationships that will continue throughout the book. Maddie's New Maddie list sets up her goals for the year ahead, and her internal debates about diversity and dating reveal the tensions she'll navigate as she builds her new life.

Study Questions and Answers

1. What does Maddie's New Maddie list reveal about her understanding of adulthood and independence?

The list shows Maddie equates adulthood with experiences she's been denied—drinking, dating, wearing new clothes, trying new things. Some items (like trying weed or cigarettes at least once) suggest she's constructing an idea of freedom based on what she imagines others do, rather than what she actually wants. The list also reveals her inexperience: she's never had the opportunity to drink, date, or experiment, so she's creating a checklist of what she thinks an independent young woman should do.

2. How does the dinner conversation about ghosting and casual relationships challenge Maddie's views on dating?

Maddie is surprised by Jo's casual arrangement with Sam and by the story of Callum ghosting Kirsten after three dates. Her first thought about Kirsten is whether she did something wrong—which she immediately corrects by calling herself a bad feminist. The conversation exposes her to dating norms she hasn't experienced, and her confusion about whether casual sex is possible reveals her inexperience. It also shows her trying to navigate new social situations and figure out where she fits.

3. What does Maddie's internal debate about being the only Black person at OTP reveal about her concerns regarding workplace diversity?

Maddie notices she's the only Black person in the room but decides not to ask about it, imagining how the question would sound. She also worries she might be hired as a token—to appear at least semi-decent to the outside world—before correcting herself and insisting she'll get the job because she's qualified. This internal conflict reveals her awareness of how race operates in professional settings and her desire to be judged on merit, while also acknowledging the reality of diversity initiatives.