Chapter 71: Step 5 – Find Out the Truth
⚠️ 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
Chapter 71 opens with Ada’s internal monologue in Long Island. She expresses deep unhappiness: she has no real friends, misses her old home, and thinks she will never return. Hunter continues to bother her in Library, and Nico barely speaks to her and keeps getting into trouble at school. Ada lies awake at night, unable to sleep, and stares at the ceiling, missing Constance. She gets up and looks out the window at the house next door—Number 12 Locust Street, the Lowells’ home. Though the lights are out, she sees movement and can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong. She recalls events at the beach and wonders why Nico hates the Lowells. Hearing a knock, she scrambles back to bed. The door opens and Nico enters, carrying a sleeping bag. He asks to sleep in her room. She agrees. Nico lays the bag on the floor next to her bed. They exchange good nights, but Ada sees that his eyes are wet. She asks what’s wrong, and after a few minutes of crying, Nico tells her everything.
Key Events
- Ada reflects on her hatred for Long Island, missing old friends, and Nico’s distant behavior.
- Ada lies awake at night, unable to sleep, and looks at the neighbor’s house.
- She sees movement in the darkened Lowell house and grows suspicious.
- Nico knocks on her door, carrying a sleeping bag, and asks to stay.
- Ada notices Nico crying; he finally opens up and reveals the truth.
Character Development
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Ada: More than just a homesick teenager, Ada shows perceptiveness and empathy. She notices details others might miss—the movement next door, Nico’s tears—and she creates a safe space for him by letting him stay without pressing him too soon. Her internal struggle (hating her new life) contrasts with her quiet strength in supporting her brother.
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Nico: Previously distant and getting into trouble, Nico’s vulnerability here is a turning point. By coming to Ada and finally crying, he abandons the tough exterior. His willingness to share “everything” suggests a burden he’s carried alone, and this chapter is the beginning of the truth coming to light.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Isolation and Displacement: Ada’s longing for her old home and friends underscores the family’s dislocation. The empty, uninteresting ceiling symbolizes her feeling trapped and bored.
- Darkness and Observation: Ada lies in the dark, watching the neighbors. The night setting emphasizes hidden truths and things seen only when others think no one is looking.
- Children as Witnesses: Both Ada and Nico are young characters who perceive tensions the adults may have missed. The chapter positions children as holders of important secrets.
- The Sleeping Bag as Sanctuary: Nico brings a sleeping bag, a portable safe space. It signals his need for comfort and a return to childhood security, yet the truth he shares will shatter that innocence.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is the emotional and plot climax of Ada’s perspective subplot. It directly delivers on the chapter’s subtitle “Find Out the Truth.” After weeks of Nico’s mysteriously hostile behavior toward the Lowells and Ada’s own unease, the confession scene finally arrives. The chapter bridges Ada’s personal unhappiness with the larger family mystery. It also deepens the psychological thriller aspect: the reader now knows that the neighbor’s house holds a secret, and the truth is about to be spoken. The chapter ends on a promise of revelation, making Chapter 72 critical for the full disclosure.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Ada think she and her family will never leave Long Island?
Ada believes that her parents have decided to stay permanently. She feels hopeless about ever returning to her old life, which shows her sense of powerlessness as a child.
2. What makes Ada decide to get out of bed and look out the window?
She cannot fall asleep and is bored by the ceiling. She wants distraction and ends up observing the neighbor’s house, which reawakens her curiosity about the Lowells and Nico’s hatred for them.
3. What is the significance of Nico bringing a sleeping bag and then crying?
The sleeping bag represents Nico’s need for comfort and his desire to be near Ada. His crying shows that he has been holding in painful feelings, and the act of telling “everything” is the first step toward resolving the mystery and healing.