Chapter 25: Collins – Soul Searching 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
Collins wakes in Brady's apartment after spending the night, feeling peaceful but restless. She slips out of bed and decides to go to Toades before Brady wakes. Walking through the early morning snow, she reflects on how Brady has burrowed into the empty space in her chest, making her feel stable and hopeful for the first time in years.
At Toades, she is shocked to find the first floor damaged from the storm—inventory piled, paintings off the walls, and the back door replaced with plywood. Fighting back tears, she remembers Brady's reassurance that they won't lose the store. She goes upstairs to the room where the music console and records are kept. She plays a Dusty Springfield single that Earnest liked and sits on a love seat.
Soon, she senses Earnest's presence. He appears as a young man in his final form, though his voice is fuzzy with static. He tells her he has been trying to get her attention, following her to Brady's apartment and even moving her camera suitcase from under her bed. Collins admits she hasn't touched her photography equipment. Earnest asks if she is okay; she says she is getting there, partly because of Brady. Earnest reveals a lost love from his own life. Collins feels a renewed sense of hope and decides she will do whatever it takes to save Toades.
Key Events
- Collins wakes up in Brady's apartment and leaves to visit Toades at dawn.
- She discovers storm damage to the first floor of Toades.
- Collins goes upstairs, plays a record, and waits for Earnest.
- Earnest appears and explains he has been trying to contact her but felt she was "jammed."
- He reveals he moved her camera suitcase to get her attention.
- Collins admits she hasn't used her camera and acknowledges her growing feelings for Brady.
- Earnest shares a glimpse of his own past and his connection to the store.
- Collins resolves to fight for Toades and feels her path is now lit.
Character Development
Collins takes a significant step forward in this chapter. She moves from avoiding Toades and her own emotions to actively seeking connection—first with the store, then with Earnest. Her admission that she feels "hopeful" marks a shift from her earlier numbness. Brady's influence is clear: she feels safe enough to confront the past. The conversation with Earnest also reveals her lingering guilt over not using her camera, but her willingness to discuss it shows she is ready to reengage with her identity as a photographer.
Earnest displays concern for Collins and a deep attachment to Toades as his home. His frustration at being unable to communicate clearly (the "static" and "jammed" feeling) highlights the fragility of ghost-human connections. His mention of his own lost love adds a layer of melancholy and shows that he too has unfinished emotional business.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Home and Belonging: Toades represents Collins's family history and her own sense of identity. Seeing it damaged forces her to confront her fear of losing that anchor. Earnest calls it "yours, too," reinforcing that home is not just a place but a web of relationships and memories.
Hope vs. Fear: Collins acknowledges that hope is dangerous because it can be crushed, yet she allows herself to feel it. The contrast between the dark, damaged store and the rising dawn outside mirrors her internal shift from despair to cautious optimism.
Ghosts as Emotional Baggage: Earnest's struggle to reach Collins reflects her own emotional disconnection. The "jammed" sensation suggests she has been blocking her feelings. Only by confronting the past (the store, the camera, Brady) does the static begin to clear.
The Moon and Light: Collins notes that with Brady she can "bask in the glow of the moon instead of turning my back to it." This metaphor for choosing to face life rather than retreat into shadow recurs throughout the chapter as she literally walks toward the dawn.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 25 is a turning point in Collins's arc. It forces her to directly face the physical and emotional state of Toades, which she has been avoiding. Her conversation with Earnest validates her feelings and gives her permission to move forward. The chapter also deepens the bond between Collins and Brady by showing how his presence has given her the courage to reconnect with her roots. Finally, it sets up the central conflict: saving the store from storm damage and financial ruin, which will likely drive the remainder of the novel.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Collins go to Toades at dawn, and what does this reveal about her state of mind? She feels restless but hopeful after sleeping with Brady, and she wants to confront the place that has been weighing on her. The early morning setting—"that blink-and-you'd-miss-it time of night"—symbolizes her willingness to face the truth before she can talk herself out of it.
2. What does Earnest mean when he says Collins feels "jammed"? He uses the word to describe a static interference that makes it hard for him to hear or reach her. Metaphorically, it suggests Collins has been emotionally blocked—numb and disconnected from herself. Her growing openness (especially because of Brady) is starting to clear that jam.
3. How does Brady's presence influence Collins's ability to confront her past in this chapter? Collins explicitly states that Brady's "fingerprints are all over my time at home" and that he has made the cavern in her chest no longer empty. His support gives her the courage to visit Toades and speak with Earnest. Without him, she might have stayed in avoidance.