Chapter 21: Summary, Analysis, and Study Notes

⚠️ 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

On a Saturday evening, Clover receives a text from Sylvie inviting her to a yoga class the next morning. Clover is torn: she's relieved Sylvie still wants to spend time with her after their coffee date, but she's never tried yoga and worries about embarrassing herself. Looking at her notebooks, she recalls the advice of Arthur, a soft-spoken gardener who died under her care: if you want something you don't have, you have to do something you've never done. She realizes she's never truly spent time with a woman her own age who isn't dying, and this could be her chance to build a real friendship. She agrees, and spends the night watching yoga videos on YouTube to memorize poses.

The next morning, Sylvie is waiting on the stoop with a yoga mat and a reusable coffee flask, which she hands to Clover—a small gesture that makes Clover feel unexpectedly cared for. As they walk the two blocks to the studio, Sylvie gives her a rundown of the regulars: the teacher, Amelie, studied in India but has a New Zealand accent that Sylvie finds grating during guided meditation, especially the way she pronounces the word