Chapter 32: Not the First Time – 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
Alex regains consciousness on a beach, coughing up seawater and with a badly bruised face. Sunny reveals she dragged Alex to shore after the ship sank; everyone else drowned. Sunny checks Alex’s nose (bumped, not broken). They find wreckage, including a chest containing the late Constans’s red military jacket. Alex puts it on, joking about looking like a general. While talking, Sunny spots eight armed men approaching. The men examine the chest and then follow tracks Alex left in the sand. Realizing the men are hunting for her, Alex and Sunny flee over the dunes. The chapter ends with Alex running for her life—sadly, not for the first time.
Key Events
- Alex wakes on a beach, groggy and injured, and learns Sunny saved her from drowning.
- Sunny gently examines Alex’s nose, determining it is only bruised.
- The pair scavenge the shoreline and discover a locked chest containing Constans’s military jacket.
- Alex puts on the jacket, which is comically oversized, and jokes about her appearance.
- Sunny spots a group of eight armed men approaching the beach.
- The men see the chest and Alex’s distinctive tracks in the sand.
- Sunny and Alex hide in the dunes, then flee when the men start following the tracks.
- The chapter closes with Alex running, reflecting that this situation is distressingly familiar.
Character Development
Alex – Despite physical pain and fear, Alex maintains her sardonic humor (“juth you”). She shows resilience by standing up and joking about her nose. Her comment that she “never had that knack” of ignoring what she can’t change reveals her chronic anxiety. Donning Constans’s jacket suggests a willingness to adopt a new identity out of necessity.
Sunny – Sunny’s actions deepen her complexity: she is a strong swimmer who saved Alex without hesitation, yet she is uncomfortable with praise (“she trusted a compliment far less than an insult”). Her soft touch when checking Alex’s nose contrasts with her usual cold pragmatism. She is alert and tactical (“shush, someone’s coming”), prioritizing survival over bonding.
Their dynamic – Alex’s openness (expressing gratitude, admiring Sunny) is met with Sunny’s guardedness and a command to “shush.” This imbalance in emotional expression signals a developing but tense partnership.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Survival and Resourcefulness – The entire chapter focuses on immediate survival: scavenging, fleeing, and adapting. Alex’s theft of the jacket is practical, not decorative.
- Disguise and Identity – The military jacket is a symbol of borrowed authority. Alex plays with it, but Sunny notes it gives off a “strong flavour of military arsehole.” The coat represents a temporary mask, highlighting how quickly roles can shift.
- The Pursuit Motif – Alex’s repeated reflection “not the first time” ties this flight to a pattern of being hunted. The chapter reinforces that Alex’s life is one of constant running, with no safe haven.
- Trust and Vulnerability – Sunny’s gentle examination of Alex’s nose contrasts with the harsh world around them. Alex’s moment of calm in Sunny’s presence shows a rare moment of trust, which is immediately broken by the arrival of pursuers.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 32 is a turning point in Alex’s physical journey: she survives the shipwreck but is immediately thrown into a new chase. It deepens the bond between Alex and Sunny, showing Sunny’s protective instincts and Alex’s reliance on her. The chapter also introduces a new threat—the “Dane” and his armed men—setting up the next phase of the story. Alex’s decision to wear Constans’s jacket foreshadows a possible shift in her own identity as she is forced to impersonate a military figure to survive.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Alex put on Constans’s jacket, even though it is too big?
Alex needs clothing and likely also wants to appear as someone of authority to potential pursuers. The joke about looking like the “Empress of Troy” shows she is aware of the absurdity but willing to adopt the disguise. It’s a practical choice driven by resource scarcity.
2. How does Sunny’s reaction to Alex’s compliment (“that’s … nice”) reveal her character?
Sunny frowns and seems suspicious of praise. This suggests she is unaccustomed to kindness and may have been betrayed before. It aligns with her earlier statement that she “fade[s] away in any company.” Her distrust of compliments underscores a worldview where even affection can be a trap.
3. What does the repeated phrase “sad to say, it was not the first time” tell us about Alex’s life before this chapter?
The phrase frames violence and flight as routine experiences for Alex. She has been slapped, had her nose broken, and forced to run before. This establishes her as a character hardened by a life of danger and crime, making her current predicament part of a long pattern rather than a shocking deviation.