Chapter 21: Santa Gertrudis – A New World and Strange Island Lore
⚠️ 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
Grace drives Christina’s car to the village of Santa Gertrudis. She finds the village beautiful and shops at a small supermarket, feeling like a student again as she picks out fresh produce, including tomatoes and self-squeezed orange juice. The checkout assistant, Rosella, strikes up a conversation. Rosella, a former Brighton resident, tells Grace about Es Vedrà, a tall rocky islet off the coast of Ibiza. She describes it as the third most magnetic point on Earth, sharing tales of a hermit who lived there and mysterious lights in the water that have reportedly caused a near plane crash. Grace listens politely, noting the ominous feeling she had when she saw Es Vedrà from the plane.
Key Events
- Grace drives Christina’s old car to Santa Gertrudis, navigating unfamiliar roads without a reliable phone signal.
- She explores the village and finds a small supermarket; the process of shopping feels new and unsettling after decades of routine.
- Grace buys a variety of goods, including a tomato, baguette, cheese, gin, and tonic water.
- She uses a machine to squeeze fresh orange juice into a bottle, a novel experience for her.
- At checkout, she talks with Rosella, who speaks English fluently and shares local lore about Es Vedrà.
- Rosella recounts stories of a hermit who saw lights illuminating the sea, and claims the rock has a strange magnetic quality.
Character Development
Grace (narrator):
This chapter reveals Grace’s vulnerability and her struggle to adjust. Driving abroad for the first time, losing phone signal, and shopping without a pre-set list all highlight how her life had been on autopilot since her husband’s death. The simple act of selecting groceries becomes a mini-rebellion against routine. She is open to new experiences but also cautious—she finds Es Vedrà intimidating. Her willingness to listen to Rosella’s unusual stories shows a growing curiosity about the island’s mysteries.
Rosella:
Though a minor character, Rosella serves as a conduit for local knowledge and the supernatural. Her lively, direct manner contrasts with Grace’s introversion. By sharing the Es Vedrà legend, she introduces a central motif of the book: the idea that certain places hold inexplicable power.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Starting afresh / letting go of routine: Grace’s shopping trip symbolises her tentative first steps away from the rigid habits that defined her widowhood. The “autopilot” she mentions has been switched off, and she must now choose everything from scratch.
- Magnetism and the unknown: Es Vedrà is described as a highly magnetic point, tying the island to forces beyond normal understanding. The rock becomes a symbol for the strange events and feelings Grace will encounter.
- Local stories vs. rational explanation: Rosella presents the lights and the hermit as factual, yet Grace’s polite response (“it’s an interesting island”) reveals her hesitation to fully accept the supernatural. This tension between belief and scepticism runs through the novel.
- Isolation and connection: The empty supermarket and the intimate conversation with Rosella underscore Grace’s isolation, while also showing her willingness to connect with a stranger.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 21 serves as a threshold. Grace physically moves from the familiar (her holiday house, the main roads) into the local heart of Ibiza. The ordinary act of buying groceries becomes charged with meaning as she encounters Es Vedrà lore. This is the first time she hears about the island’s mysterious magnetism, setting the stage for the magical or supernatural elements that will increasingly shape her journey. The chapter deepens the sense that Ibiza is not just a beautiful holiday destination but a place of hidden power, and it forces Grace to confront the possibility that her routine-driven worldview may be inadequate.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Grace feel like a university student again when shopping?
She had been shopping on autopilot for decades after her husband’s death. The unfamiliar products, chalk signs in Spanish, and the novel orange-juice machine make her feel as if she is learning how to live from scratch, similar to starting university.
2. What does Rosella’s story about Es Vedrà reveal about the island’s character in the novel?
It suggests Ibiza is a place where the boundary between the natural and the supernatural is thin. The hermit’s lights and the magnetic quality of the rock hint that strange forces are at work, preparing the reader for later events that defy rational explanation.
3. How does Grace respond to Rosella’s dramatic tale, and what does this show about her personality?
Grace listens politely but responds with a bland remark (“oh well, it’s an interesting island”). This shows her reluctance to fully engage with the uncanny; she is still a skeptical, reserved person who copes by downplaying the strange. It also foreshadows the inner conflict she will face as the story progresses.