Chapter 9: Wales — 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
In 2022, the narrator travels to Abergavenny, Wales, to confront Ceri, the man she suspects is Arden, her eternal adversary. Her plan is to persuade him to postpone killing her until after her stem cells are transplanted into her sister Gracie, who is fighting a life-threatening illness. She knocks on the door of the flat above a petrol station, but no one answers. She considers texting him but decides against it—she wants to see his reaction in person, to search for pressure points and ensure he understands the gravity of her request. She also admits, to herself, that she wants to see him again.
When her third knock goes unanswered, she uses her lock-picking skills, learned during a past life stealing diamonds in imperial Kenya. Her hands remember the technique even though she can't recall the details. She enters the flat, careful not to turn on lights, and uses her phone's torch to explore. The flat is nearly empty of personal belongings: generic landscape art, a cheap sofa, a few tea-stained mugs, and a single pair of trainers. The kitchenette holds only instant coffee, sugar, and an unopened packet of custard creams. The bathroom has just the basics—soap, toothbrush, shampoo, and one black towel.
In the bedroom, she finds a poetry book on the bedside table, with a bus ticket as a bookmark. He's less than ten pages in, which doesn't match the frenzied reading she'd expect from someone who'd discovered a past life's work. But then she spots a typewriter on the windowsill—old, dusty, with no ink spools or paper nearby. This, she decides, is the proof she needs. The typewriter is the sole furnishing he chose for his lonely flat, a symbol of his eternal companion: the written word. She reaches out to touch it but stops, fearing he'd notice the disturbed dust.
She decides to leave without confronting him, hoping to stay out of his way until after the transplant. As she slips out, a run-down car pulls up, and a blond man—Ceri—gets out. He notices the unlocked door, frowns, and scans the area. She hides behind a tree in a small copse, watching him enter the flat. He looks directly at her hiding spot but then goes inside. She slides to the ground, her limbs weak, realizing he has found her and will soon kill her. Yet she feels a confusing longing to run into his arms.
Key Events
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The narrator arrives in Abergavenny, Wales, to confront Ceri, hoping to delay her death until after Gracie's stem cell transplant.
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She picks the lock of Ceri's flat using skills from a past life in imperial Kenya.
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Inside, she finds the flat nearly empty, with minimal food and basic bathroom supplies.
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She discovers a poetry book with a bus ticket bookmark and an old typewriter on the windowsill.
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She interprets the typewriter as confirmation that Ceri is Arden.
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She decides not to confront him and leaves, but Ceri arrives and notices the unlocked door.
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She hides behind a tree, and Ceri scans the area before entering the flat.
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She realizes he has found her and will soon kill her, yet feels a conflicting longing to be with him.
Character Development
The Narrator – This chapter reveals her resourcefulness and determination. She's willing to break into a stranger's flat to confirm her suspicions, driven by her love for Gracie. Her internal conflict deepens: she wants to save her sister, but she also wants to see Arden again, even knowing he will kill her. Her nostalgia for the past—gas lamps, grand orchestras—contrasts with her appreciation for modern medicine, showing her long-lived perspective.
Ceri / Arden – Though he appears only briefly, his flat speaks volumes. The sparse belongings suggest a man who lives lightly, unencumbered by material possessions. The typewriter is a deliberate choice, hinting at his identity as a writer and his connection to the narrator's past. His reaction to the unlocked door—pausing, frowning, scanning—shows his wariness and intelligence, confirming he is not an ordinary man.
Gracie – Though not present, she is the emotional core of the chapter. The narrator's entire plan revolves around saving her, and her illness gives urgency to the narrator's risky actions.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Traces of Souls – The narrator reflects that humans leave traces of their souls everywhere, as unique as fingerprints. The typewriter, the poetry book, and even the sparse belongings are clues to Ceri's true identity.
Modernity vs. Nostalgia – The narrator contrasts the