Chapter 4: Nina — Summary & 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 Nina at a party at Tudor House, one of King's College's old pass-down houses handed from one senior class to the next. She's there with her friend Rachel, who has proven her loyalty by dismissing even the most exclusive royal gatherings as stupid in favor of this casual student party. The scene is deliberately ordinary: students in frayed jeans, music blaring from speakers, and an a cappella group singing on a plastic folding table.

Despite the relaxed setting, Nina can't escape thoughts of the royal family. The party reminds her of a club Sam dragged her to the previous year, and that memory leads to worry about Sam, fear for Beatrice (who lies in a hospital bed surrounded by tubes), and unwanted thoughts of Jeff, America's Acting King and Nina's ex-boyfriend.

Needing air, Nina steps out to the driveway and sinks onto the bottom step of a staircase leading up the side of the garage. James appears, claiming he came for fresh air, though Nina accuses him of following her. Their banter is playful—he has two beers, which he claims were both for him but offers to share. Nina reluctantly invites him to sit.

Their conversation covers James's background: he traveled extensively with his parents as a child, which explains his unplaceable accent, and he's at King's College for a semester on an exchange program. He admits his family expects a lot of him and that being far from home is a way to escape attention for a while. Nina shares that her parents live half a mile from campus and that her mother works at the Ministry of the Treasury.

James asks for off-campus dining advice, and Nina recommends Mulberry's, specifically their cheese tots, advising against happy hour due to crowds. He suggests they go that night.

The conversation turns flirtatious. Nina reflects that she hasn't been kissed by anyone but Jeff in a long time, and that her heart has always belonged to him—whether in love or hate. She considers that kissing another boy might help banish Jeff's hold on her. James tells her he won't kiss her unless she asks, and Nina initiates the kiss. The kiss is intense, and Nina is surprised to feel the same white-hot rush she used to feel with Jeff.

Her phone buzzes repeatedly. She breaks away and sees it's Sam calling. Sam is on a plane somewhere over Orange, about five hours from landing. She's heading straight to the hospital to see Beatrice. Nina offers to accompany her, and Sam accepts. Nina decides to wait for Sam rather than return to the party, reflecting that kissing James was a mistake since she doesn't even know him.

Key Events

Nina attends a party at Tudor House with Rachel but struggles to enjoy it due to worries about the royal family
James joins Nina in the driveway, and they engage in playful banter
James reveals he's an exchange student who traveled widely as a child
Nina recommends Mulberry's cheese tots as the best off-campus food
Nina initiates a kiss with James, feeling a rush she thought she'd lost with Jeff
Sam calls from a plane over Orange, heading to the hospital to see Beatrice
Nina agrees to accompany Sam and decides to wait for her instead of returning to the party

Character Development

Nina – This chapter shows Nina caught between two worlds. At a deliberately ordinary college party, she can't stop thinking about the Washingtons, demonstrating how deeply her life is enmeshed with the royal family. Her decision to kiss James represents an attempt to move on from Jeff, but the kiss also reveals how much Jeff still occupies her thoughts. Her immediate choice to prioritize Sam's call shows where her true loyalties lie—friendship over romance.

James – James remains mysterious. He's charming, playful, and evasive about his background. His admission that his family expects a lot of him and that he's escaping attention suggests hidden depths, but he deflects questions about his family. His willingness to wait for Nina to initiate the kiss shows a certain respect for her boundaries, even as he clearly pursues her.

Rachel – Though briefly present, Rachel's dismissal of royal events as stupid establishes her as a loyal friend who prioritizes Nina's happiness over royal glamour.

Sam – Though only heard on the phone, Sam's emotional state is clear—she's close to tears, worried about Beatrice, and reaching out to Nina in her moment of need.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Escape from family expectations – Both Nina and James grapple with family pressure. James explicitly says he came to King's College to escape attention and expectations. Nina's parents hover, though she frames it more positively.

Moving on from a past relationship – Nina's kiss with James is explicitly framed as an attempt to banish Jeff's hold on her. The chapter shows her trying to reclaim a sense of self outside her relationship with Jeff.

Friendship loyalty – Nina's choice to wait for Sam rather than return to the party demonstrates that her friendship with Sam takes priority over her romantic interests.

The inescapable pull of royal life – Even at a casual college party, Nina can't stop thinking about the Washingtons. The royal world follows her everywhere.

Contrast between ordinary and royal worlds – Tudor House—with its neon murals, boho furniture, and cheap beer—is explicitly contrasted with black-tie royal gatherings. Nina's discomfort in both worlds highlights her liminal position.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter advances Nina's personal arc by introducing a potential new romantic interest in James while also reconnecting her with Sam at a critical moment. The kiss with James represents a significant step in Nina's attempt to move on from Jeff, but Sam's call pulls her back into the royal orbit, reminding readers that Nina's life is inextricably tied to the Washingtons. The chapter also deepens the mystery around James, whose evasiveness about his background suggests he may have secrets that will matter later.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Nina decide to wait for Sam instead of returning to the party to find James?

Nina's decision reflects her priorities. After hearing Sam's voice, she feels too rattled to return to the party. She also reflects that kissing James was a mistake since she doesn't know him. Her choice to wait for Sam demonstrates that her friendship with Sam—and her concern for Beatrice—outweighs her romantic interest in James.

2. What does the kiss with James reveal about Nina's emotional state?

The kiss shows Nina trying to move on from Jeff. She explicitly considers that kissing another boy might banish Jeff's specter. The fact that she feels the same white-hot rush she used to feel with Jeff is surprising to her, suggesting both that she's capable of new feelings and that she's still processing her breakup.

3. How does the chapter establish the contrast between Nina's ordinary life and the royal world?

The chapter opens at a deliberately casual party—cheap beer, indie music, students in frayed jeans—which Nina notes is the complete opposite of a black-tie royal gathering. Yet even here, she can't stop thinking about the Washingtons. The contrast highlights how the royal world has become inescapable for Nina, even in spaces designed to be ordinary.