Chapter 66 Summary, Analysis, and Key Themes
⚠️ 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 can return to the book hub or the previous chapter at any time.
For the next chapter, see Chapter 67.
This page is intended for readers who have already reached this point in the story.
If you haven't, you might want to go back and read the earlier chapters first.
The following analysis assumes you are familiar with the characters and events up to this chapter.
We will discuss the chapter's plot, character development, and themes in detail.
Please be aware that this page contains spoilers for Chapter 66 specifically.
You have been warned.
Now, let's dive in.
Summary
Ji-won wakes from a nightmare in which she is buried alive. In the dream, George shovels dirt onto her, but his face transforms into Geoffrey's, and his brown eyes become blue. Her mother appears, crying, and Ji-won apologizes for not being a good daughter. Dream Umma hushes her with a warning in her eyes, and Ji-won feels herself sinking into darkness before the scene shifts.
She regains consciousness in a hospital bed, attached to an IV, with a shaved patch of scalp and a line of stitches. Her mother, Umma, and sister, Ji-hyun, are beside her, overjoyed that she is awake. They explain that she had a brain tumor discovered during an MRI that was originally ordered for a suspected concussion. The tumor required emergency surgery, and she has been unconscious for four days. Ji-won is stunned, and Ji-hyun admits that the doctors are unsure how long the tumor had been present—possibly her entire life.
Ji-won immediately asks about George. Umma and Ji-hyun exchange worried glances. They tell her that George, Geoffrey, and Ji-won were found at an abandoned construction site off Vermont Avenue. Geoffrey claimed that Ji-won had asked him to meet her there, and that when he arrived, George was strangling her. He said he knocked George out to protect her. A neighbor heard screaming and called the police, who found Ji-won and George unconscious. Geoffrey was arrested but later released on bail because no witnesses contradicted his story. Ji-won, still groggy, tells her family that she had asked George to meet her to discuss the wedding, and that they argued before Geoffrey showed up. She apologizes to Umma for not talking to her first.
Ji-hyun reveals that Geoffrey has been calling and texting Ji-won every day, and that he tried to visit but was stopped by nurses. After visiting hours, Ji-hyun confides that Umma went to see George while Ji-won was unconscious. Once alone, Ji-won, despite her pain and the IV, gets out of bed and begins to search the ward for George, determined to see him with her own eyes.
Key Events
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Ji-won wakes from a nightmare involving burial and drowning, with George transforming into Geoffrey.
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She learns she had a brain tumor and underwent emergency surgery four days earlier.
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Her family explains the events at the construction site and Geoffrey's version of what happened.
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Geoffrey is out on bail due to lack of contradicting witnesses.
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Ji-won tells her family a partial truth about meeting George to discuss the wedding.
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Ji-hyun reveals that Umma visited George while Ji-won was unconscious.
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Ji-won leaves her hospital room to find George, despite her physical condition.
Character Development
Ji-won is in a vulnerable state, both physically and emotionally. The discovery of the brain tumor shakes her sense of identity, but it also sparks a flicker of hope—she wonders if her lifelong pain might not be inevitable, and that she could live a “normal” life. Her immediate concern for George, even after everything, shows her deep attachment and perhaps a need for closure. Her decision to leave the hospital, despite barely being able to walk, underscores her determination and the urgency she feels to confront the truth. She also shows guilt toward her mother, apologizing for not being a good daughter, which hints at unresolved family dynamics.
Umma is protective and evasive. She tries to shield Ji-won from the details of the incident, and her visit to George suggests she is trying to manage the situation on her own. Her warning in the dream—telling Ji-won not to say anything—foreshadows the secrecy that surrounds the family.
Ji-hyun is more direct and willing to share uncomfortable truths. She tells Ji-won about Geoffrey's calls and about Umma's visit to George, even when it upsets her mother. She seems to want Ji-won to know the full picture, perhaps out of concern for her safety.
Geoffrey remains a shadowy figure, manipulating the narrative from afar. His claim that Ji-won asked him to meet her, and his portrayal of himself as a protector, are called into question by Ji-won's own account, but the lack of witnesses leaves his story unchallenged.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Burial and drowning imagery dominate the nightmare. Ji-won is buried in dirt, then drowns in her mother's tears. This imagery suggests suffocation, helplessness, and the weight of family expectations. It also foreshadows the revelation of the tumor—something hidden inside her that has been growing unnoticed.
Eyes as symbols recur. In the dream, George's eyes are “breathtakingly beautiful,” but they change to Geoffrey's blue eyes, signaling a shift in perception. Later, Ji-won sees blue orbs on her eyelids and thinks of George's eyes, but feels no desire—only emptiness. This suggests a loss of the romanticized view she once had, and perhaps a new clarity.
Identity confusion is central. Ji-won's nightmare blurs George and Geoffrey, and her waking life is equally confusing: she doesn't know what really happened, and Geoffrey's story contradicts her own memory. The brain tumor adds another layer—she may have been living with a physical abnormality her whole life, which makes her question who she is.
Secrecy and deception are woven throughout. Umma's warning in the dream, the family's hesitance to share details, and Geoffrey's manipulative story all point to hidden truths. Ji-won herself lies to her family about the wedding discussion, showing that she is not fully honest either.
Hope for normalcy emerges as Ji-won contemplates the tumor's removal. She wonders if her past pain was caused by the tumor, and if its removal might allow her to live a different life. This hope is fragile, but it gives her motivation to move forward.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 66 is a turning point in the novel. It reveals a major medical event—the brain tumor—that could explain Ji-won's past behavior and perceptions. It also sets up the central conflict for the remainder of the story: Ji-won's search for George and her confrontation with Geoffrey's version of events. The chapter deepens the mystery of what happened at the construction site, and Ji-won's decision to leave the hospital signals that she will not passively accept the narrative others have constructed for her. It also highlights the theme of agency—Ji-won, despite her weakened state, chooses to act.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What does the nightmare reveal about Ji-won's psychological state?
The nightmare shows Ji-won's fear of being buried or overwhelmed, and it blurs the identities of George and Geoffrey, suggesting she is confused about who is a threat. The presence of her mother and the warning to stay silent indicate that Ji-won feels pressured to keep secrets, possibly to protect her family. The drowning in her mother's tears points to guilt and a sense of being suffocated by maternal expectations.
2. How does the brain tumor affect Ji-won's sense of self?
The tumor's discovery makes Ji-won question whether her past suffering was caused by a physical abnormality rather than her own nature. She feels hope that she might be able to live a normal life, which suggests she has long felt different or broken. The uncertainty about how long the tumor was present adds to her identity crisis—she doesn't know if the tumor shaped who she is.
3. Why does Ji-won decide to leave the hospital to find George?
Ji-won is driven by a need to see George and learn the truth for herself. She is not satisfied with the secondhand accounts from her family or Geoffrey's claims. Her physical pain is outweighed by her curiosity and determination. This action shows her refusal to be a passive victim and her desire to confront the situation directly, even at great personal cost.