The Five-Star Weekend Chapter 26: Maybe: Sofia
⚠️ 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
Saturday morning, Caroline finds a note from Hollis saying she is shopping in town. Enjoying the empty house, Caroline eats morning buns on the footbridge over the pond, indulging in introspection. She then pulls out her phone and scrolls Sofia Desmione’s Instagram, seeing a vulnerable photo of Isaac that makes her ache. A text arrives from “Maybe: Sofia,” asking how her weekend is. Caroline panics, believing Sofia has discovered the affair. She declines a follow-up call and sends a flimsy excuse. When the women return subdued, Caroline confronts Hollis about having breakfast with Jack, accusing her of being a phony and moving on too quickly after her father’s death.
Key Events
- Caroline enjoys a quiet morning on the footbridge, eating buns and tossing pieces to fish.
- She googles Isaac and Sofia, then scrolls Sofia’s Instagram, finding a candid photo of Isaac that shows his vulnerability.
- Sofia texts Caroline directly for the first time, asking how her weekend is.
- Caroline panics and declines Sofia’s call, texting that she is filming.
- The women return from town in a subdued mood; Dru-Ann goes to the Twist, others to their rooms.
- Caroline confronts Hollis about having breakfast with Jack, accusing her of being a phony and moving on after her husband’s death.
Character Development
- Caroline: Her insecurity and guilt are laid bare. She shifts from a moment of peace to full-blown paranoia, imagining worst-case scenarios (Sofia knows, the press will find out). Her confrontation with Hollis reveals her grief over her father and her need for authenticity from her mother.
- Hollis: She dismisses Caroline’s accusations but is unsettled by the claim that Jack is still in love with her. The chapter exposes the gap between her curated online life and her real choices.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Surveillance and secrecy: Caroline watches Sofia’s Instagram only to receive a text that feels like being watched in return. The motif of stalking—on social media and through real‑life observation—drives the tension.
- Performance versus reality: Caroline calls out Hollis for presenting a fake version of the weekend. This echoes the book’s exploration of the gap between curated online personas and messy real life.
- The footbridge: A symbol of Caroline’s temporary detachment and false sense of control. It’s her “favorite spot,” yet from there she spirals into anxiety.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point for Caroline’s subplot. Sofia’s text makes the affair feel real and dangerous, raising the stakes. It also deepens the mother-daughter conflict: Caroline’s accusation forces Hollis to confront how her choices (breakfast with Jack) look to those closest to her. The chapter tightens the novel’s themes of trust, grief, and the cost of living a performance.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Caroline panic when she receives the text from Sofia?
Caroline assumes Sofia has discovered her affair with Isaac. Her fear is worsened by the fact that Sofia has never texted her before and that she was just scrolling Sofia’s Instagram—an eerie coincidence that feels like being caught.
2. How does Caroline’s confrontation with Hollis highlight the novel’s theme of authenticity?
Caroline accuses Hollis of being a phony because the weekend itinerary is fake: Hollis is actually seeing her old boyfriend Jack. This reveals the gap between Hollis’s curated online life and her real decisions, a central tension in the story.
3. What does the photo of Isaac on Sofia’s Instagram reveal about Caroline’s feelings for him?
Caroline is arrested by Isaac’s vulnerability in the candid shot, seeing the nine-year-old boy who lost his mother. This shows that her attraction goes beyond lust; she feels a deep emotional and empathetic connection.