Chapter 10 Summary & Analysis: Queer Identity, Nostalgia, and Self-Discovery

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

You've been warned.

Now, let's talk about what happens when hunger, rebellion, and a half-formed plan collide in the dark of a church camp cabin.

This chapter is a turning point for Riley and her crew, and it sets the stage for the risky move that will define the rest of their week.

Let's break it down.

Summary

The chapter opens with Riley still sitting in the locker room long after Amanda's emotional breakdown. She's trying to rationalize why someone like Amanda—who has a month of high school left, a spot in Indiana University's dance program, and a planned trip to Paris with Greer—would have anything to cry about. Riley lists trivial possibilities: a broken nail, the lack of a proper breakfast, or a disrupted skincare routine. None of these feel right, and she's unsettled by the idea that Amanda might have real problems, because that complicates Riley's neat picture of her as an enemy. She also reflects on Amanda's relationship with Hannah, wondering if Amanda ever truly understood Hannah or just wanted to save her like everyone else.

Eventually, Riley leaves the locker room and rejoins her group. Gabe confronts her for being late, and she bites back her anger, apologizing to avoid drawing Pastor Young's attention. She spends the rest of the morning stewing in frustration, ignoring Greer's attempts to catch her eye. At lunch, she heads to the cabin, where she runs into Amanda on the porch. Amanda brushes past her without a word, and Greer reveals that Amanda has been distant all week. Inside, the girls share smuggled snacks and discuss the camp fast. Riley learns that the counselors have a key to the kitchen and can eat whenever they want, which fuels her sense of injustice. She pulls out her prayer book and begins writing, drafting a thesis against Pastor Young. The writing pours out of her—a raw, angry manifesto that ends with the declaration that it's time for Pastor Young to go.

That night, hunger keeps everyone awake. Delaney and Torres toss and turn, and Amanda hisses at them to be quiet. Riley realizes that the fast has technically ended at midnight, and she proposes sneaking to the kitchen. Julia reveals where the key is kept, and after some hesitation, Delaney and Torres agree to come. Greer initially protests but eventually joins, and Amanda declines, saying she's not hungry. The group slips out together, with Riley feeling a thrill of control and a sense of being in a heist movie.

Key Events

Riley lingers in the locker room after Amanda's breakdown, trying to rationalize Amanda's tears.
Gabe confronts Riley for being late; she apologizes to avoid Pastor Young's attention.
Riley spends the morning frustrated and ignores Greer.
At lunch, Riley runs into Amanda, who brushes past her; Greer reveals Amanda has been distant all week.
The girls share smuggled snacks and discuss the camp fast, learning that counselors have kitchen access.
Riley writes in her prayer book, drafting a thesis against Pastor Young.
That night, hunger keeps everyone awake; Riley proposes sneaking to the kitchen now that the fast has ended.
Julia reveals where the key is kept.
Delaney and Torres agree to come, Greer reluctantly joins, and Amanda declines.
The group slips out together.

Character Development

Riley is the clear protagonist of this chapter, and her internal conflict drives the narrative. She's torn between her desire for revenge and her growing unease about Amanda's vulnerability. She tries to dehumanize Amanda by listing trivial reasons for her tears, but she can't shake the image of Amanda crying in the locker room. This moment complicates Riley's black-and-white view of her enemies, and she admits that imagining her enemies complexly ruins her revenge plan. Her decision to write in her prayer book marks a turning point: she moves from vague resentment to a concrete, written thesis against Pastor Young. The chapter also shows Riley's strategic side—she apologizes to Gabe to avoid drawing attention, and she later proposes the kitchen raid with a sense of control. Her offer to Amanda is genuine, even though she wishes it were a trap, revealing a flicker of empathy beneath her anger.

Amanda is a mystery in this chapter. Her breakdown in the locker room is unexplained, and she remains distant throughout the day. She brushes past Riley on the porch, and Greer confirms she's been withdrawn all week. When Riley invites her to join the kitchen raid, Amanda declines, saying she's not hungry. This suggests she's dealing with something deeper than hunger, and her isolation from the group hints at a hidden struggle. Riley's observation that Amanda's facade cracks briefly on the porch adds to the sense that Amanda is not as put-together as she appears.

Greer is initially the voice of reason, protesting the raid as insane and against camp rules. But when she realizes Riley is serious, she reluctantly joins, stuffing her feet into sneakers and pulling her hair into a ponytail. Her decision to participate shows a willingness to bend rules when pushed, and her earlier comment about being prepared with snacks suggests she's not as rigid as she pretends. Her dynamic with Riley remains tense, but she's willing to follow Riley's lead in this moment.

Julia is torn between her loyalty to her father and her growing connection to Riley. She reveals where the key is kept, and when Riley offers to go alone, Julia insists on coming, calling Riley a bad influence. This moment shows Julia's internal conflict and her willingness to step outside her usual rule-following behavior. Her apology earlier in the chapter for her father's actions hints at a deeper sense of responsibility.

Delaney and Torres are eager participants in the raid, motivated by hunger and a desire to push back against the camp's restrictions. Their willingness to join without much hesitation shows their trust in Riley's leadership, even if they don't know her full plan.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Rebellion and Authority: The chapter centers on the girls' defiance of camp rules, specifically the fast and the prohibition on food in cabins. Riley's proposal to sneak into the kitchen is a direct challenge to Pastor Young's authority, and the group's decision to follow her represents a collective act of rebellion. The fact that the counselors have a key while the campers don't highlights the hypocrisy of the authority figures.

Hypocrisy: Riley is acutely aware of the double standard: the counselors can eat whenever they want, while the campers are forced to fast. This hypocrisy fuels her anger and justifies her plan. The chapter also touches on the idea that Pastor Young preaches temperance while his own rules are arbitrary and mean-spirited.

Gluttony and Temperance: The fast is supposed to teach temperance, but it only makes the girls miserable and irritable. Riley's decision to raid the kitchen is framed as a way to commit gluttony in earnest, turning a virtue into a sin as an act of defiance. The chapter suggests that the camp's approach to virtue is counterproductive and even harmful.

Friendship and Trust: The kitchen raid brings the group together in a way that feels like a heist movie, with Riley as the leader of a