Chapter 62 Summary & Analysis – Moving Day
⚠️ 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
Today is moving day. The narrator, Ada, explains that her father got a big truck and is moving everything with friends. Her mother constantly warns him not to hurt his back. Ada thinks her mother is a good mom who would stay up late to make Rice Krispies squares for school, but her father is extraordinary—he can get anything, even from China, if asked. Ada gets her own room in the new house, twice the size of the room she shared with Nico. She picks the corner room with many windows. While unpacking books, she starts crying. Her father notices, sits beside her, and calls her “piccolina.” She admits she wants to go back to the old apartment. He promises that if she gives the new house a chance and still hates it in a year, they will move back. When she doubts her mother will allow it, he winks and says in Italian, “So we do it anyway.” Ada does not fully believe him but feels comforted and hopes she will love the new home by then.
Key Events
- Moving day begins with Ada’s father and his friends loading a truck.
- Ada reflects on her parents’ contrasting qualities: mother is dependable and caring; father is resourceful and capable of the impossible.
- Ada chooses her new room—a large corner room with many windows.
- While unpacking books, Ada cries, overwhelmed by homesickness.
- Her father comforts her, promising they will move back in one year if she still hates the new house.
- He speaks Italian and winks, implying they can circumvent her mother’s objections.
- Ada remains skeptical but is soothed by the gesture and considers that she might grow to love the new home.
Character Development
- Ada – The chapter is told from her child’s perspective. She is observant, emotional (“I cry too much”), and deeply attached to the old apartment. Her love for her parents is clear, yet she feels powerless about the move. Her father’s promise gives her a glimmer of hope, showing her capacity to trust and adapt.
- Ada’s father – Portrayed as larger-than-life: strong, handsome, and able to achieve the impossible. He is gentle with Ada, dropping his box to comfort her. His promise and wink reveal a playful, slightly rebellious side that contrasts with the mother’s worry.
- Ada’s mother – Described as a typical good mom who frets about safety and rules. Though not present in the scene, her influence looms—Ada fears she would veto the move-back plan. The mother emerges as the practical, cautious parent.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Home and belonging – The chapter revolves around leaving a familiar home and the pain of transition. Ada’s tears symbolize the loss of comfort and identity tied to the old apartment.
- Parental roles – The contrast between mother (routine, caution) and father (adventure, promise) highlights different forms of love. The mother provides reliability; the father offers hope and the allure of bending rules.
- Promises and hope – The father’s one‑year promise is a motif of deferred hope. Ada does not fully believe it, but the gesture itself is enough to ease her sadness, suggesting that the act of promising can be as important as the outcome.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens the emotional stakes of the story by humanizing Ada’s family. It reveals the close bond between Ada and her father, and it foreshadows potential conflict or secrets—hinted by the father’s wink and whispered Italian. For readers of a psychological thriller, this domestic warmth may serve as a calm before a storm, or it may subtly introduce the father’s willingness to deceive (even his wife) to keep his word. The chapter also establishes the setting of the new house, which is likely to become central to future events.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Ada cry while unpacking her books?
Ada cries because she is homesick and hates the new house. She wants to go back to the old apartment where she felt safe and familiar. -
What promise does Ada’s father make, and how does he intend to keep it?
He promises that if Ada still hates the new house after one year, they will move back. He suggests doing it without telling her mother, winking and saying in Italian, “So we do it anyway,” implying he will override his wife’s objections. -
How does Ada’s perception of her parents differ?
Ada sees her mother as a good but ordinary mom who follows rules and worries about safety. Her father, in contrast, is extraordinary—he can accomplish anything and is willing to bend rules to keep his promises. This contrast shapes Ada’s emotional reliance on her father.