The Long Game Chapter 14 Summary and Analysis
⚠️ 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
In November, Ilya Rozanov paces the waiting room of Dr. Galina Molchalina, the only Russian-speaking psychologist in Ottawa. He is nervous but determined to begin therapy. After a brief introduction in Russian, they enter her windowless office and Galina asks why he decided to make the appointment. Ilya admits he thinks he might be depressed sometimes, the first time he has said those words aloud. Guided by Galina, he begins talking about his mother, who suffered from depression. He shares fond memories and the way she hid her illness behind a sad smile. Then he describes finding her lifeless body at age twelve and how his father insisted it was an accident, forbidding Ilya and his brother from grieving. Ilya cries through most of the session. When he is spent, he asks Galina directly whether something is wrong with him. She tells him it is too early for answers, but that coming to therapy is an important step.
After the appointment, Ilya walks along the Ottawa canal, feeling hollow and shaken. He wonders if therapy is worth the pain it causes. He wants to see Shane the next day but does not feel ready to tell him about the session. Worried that Shane will notice how raw he is, he keeps walking. He sits on a bench and opens a photo album on his phone he has named “Boring.” It contains six selfies taken years ago at the NHL Awards, when he and Shane presented together. In the photos Shane looks annoyed while Ilya grins with his arm around him. Ilya has carried these images for years, transferring them to each new phone. Impulsively, he sends one to Shane. Shane responds immediately, asking if he should cut his hair. They exchange a few playful texts, and Ilya sends heart and emoji responses. He stands, feeling lighter, and decides to stop at a healthy grocery store on the way home.
Key Events
- Ilya arrives early to his first therapy session and nervously examines the waiting room.
- He meets Dr. Galina Molchalina, the only Russian-speaking psychologist in Ottawa.
- Ilya admits he thinks he might be depressed and discusses his mother’s depression and suicide.
- He recounts finding her body at age twelve and his father’s insistence that her death was an accident.
- The session leaves Ilya crying and exhausted; he asks if something is wrong with him.
- Galina reassures him that seeking help is an important first step.
- After the session, Ilya walks along the canal, reflecting on his emotions.
- He looks at old selfies from the NHL Awards stored in a phone album titled “Boring.”
- Ilya sends one of the photos to Shane, and they exchange texts about the memory.
- Feeling lighter, Ilya plans to see Shane the next evening and stops at a grocery store.
Character Development
Ilya takes a major step in addressing his mental health by attending therapy. Throughout the chapter he is vulnerable, tearful, and honest with Galina, revealing the trauma of his mother’s death and his father’s denial. His admission that he might be depressed is a breakthrough for a character who has previously hidden his emotions behind bravado. After the session he wrestles with the rawness therapy has unleashed, but he does not retreat. Instead, he walks and processes, and later reaches out to Shane by sharing a cherished old photograph. This action demonstrates his deepening trust in Shane and his willingness to reveal a sentimental side of himself. The chapter shows Ilya moving from isolation (he avoids contact with his brother and old friend Svetlana) toward seeking connection, both through professional help and through his relationship.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Therapy as slow, uncomfortable work. Ilya dislikes slow things, but Galina compares the process to building a Ferrari rather than driving one. The windowless room and fake plant symbolize the artificial, protected environment in which healing can begin without outside distractions.
Memory and nostalgia. The album titled “Boring” contains only six photos, yet they are precious to Ilya. They represent his long-hidden love for Shane and the years he spent convincing himself he felt nothing extraordinary. The act of sending one photo to Shane is a gesture of letting go of the past and inviting a shared future.
The contrast between public performance and private reality. The selfie was taken during a scripted award-show bit, but for Ilya it captured a real moment of longing. Similarly, his public advocacy for mental health through his charity contrasts with his private struggle. therapy becomes the place where the private self can be examined.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point for Ilya’s character arc. For the first time in the novel, he actively seeks help for his mental health rather than suppressing his feelings through work or casual relationships. His therapy session gives readers direct insight into the childhood trauma that has shaped his adult behavior. The chapter also deepens his relationship with Shane by showing how Ilya has held onto memories of Shane for years, long before they became a couple. The text exchange is light and affectionate, balancing the heavy emotional work of the therapy session and reinforcing that Shane is a source of comfort.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Ilya feel nervous before his therapy appointment, and how does Galina put him at ease?
Ilya is worried about being recognized and judged. Galina’s casual mention that the plant is fake, her use of Russian, and her calm demeanor help him feel safe enough to speak openly.
2. What specific memory from Ilya’s childhood does he share, and how does it affect him?
He describes finding his mother’s body when he was twelve and how his father insisted it was an accident. Recounting this makes him cry and leaves him emotionally drained, but he feels “better, maybe” after talking.
3. Why does Ilya send Shane an old selfie, and what does his reaction reveal about his feelings?
Ilya sends the photo on impulse to share a treasured secret memory. It reveals that he has been in love with Shane for years, hoarding these images as evidence of his longing. Shane’s immediate and playful reply shows mutual affection and comfort.