The weight of war crashes into the idyllic lives of the Linden sisters, forever altering their world. As Hazel grapples with burgeoning feelings and the stark realities of the Blitz, a moment of distraction leads to an unthinkable tragedy. Years later, the echoes of that day continue to haunt her, driving a desperate search for answers.
Chapter 36: The Bombs Fall
In September 1940, Hazel Mersey Linden discovers another of Harry Aberdeen’s sketches, only to awaken to the chilling news that London is being bombed. Bridgette 'Bridie' Aberdeen returns with devastating news: their mother, Camellia Linden, is safe, but their friend Kelty is injured, and her mother killed. The randomness of war hits home, and Flora Lea Linden / Dorothy 'Dot' Bellamy's matter-of-fact comparison of the death to their father’s breaks Hazel’s heart. Overcome with a sense of unfairness and Guilt, Blame, and Forgiveness, Hazel feels she doesn't deserve her safety while others suffer.
Three days later, Camellia arrives, exhausted and traumatized. Despite her attempts at normalcy, the horror of the Blitz is palpable. Driven by a need to confront the reality of the war, Hazel insists on returning to London with her mother for the day. Despite initial refusal, Hazel's determination wins out. She promises to return to Binsey that afternoon, packing her knapsack and name tag, symbols of her first evacuation. Her decision marks a significant step away from childhood, as she forces her way into the adult world of danger and Grief, Loss, and Hope.
Chapter 37: A Sickness of Hope
In March 1960, Hazel and Harry meet with Imogene Wright, now Imogene Mulroney, a nurse from the Radcliffe Infirmary. Imogene remembers Flora fondly but offers no clues about her disappearance. She dashes Hazel’s hope of finding a clear villain, instead presenting as a woman still grappling with the trauma of the war. Imogene recalls the horrors of treating wounded RAF pilots and mentions another nurse, an American named Frances, who had romantic notions about the war and left when the Blitz began. This detail, though small, is another thread in the mystery of Truth, Memory, and Secrets.
On the train back to London, Hazel is despondent, feeling the search is destroying her life—her relationship with Barnaby Yardley and her job. She declares her intention to give up, but Harry pushes back, arguing, "You can’t un-know things, Hazel." At her flat, Hazel refuses to let him in, acknowledging their powerful connection but choosing to remain faithful to Barnaby, telling Harry they "lost our chance." Alone, however, her resolve wavers. Inspired by Harry’s words, she decides to allow "the extraordinary to imbue the ordinary one more time," recommitting to the search.
Chapter 38: The Truth of London
Back in September 1940, Hazel and her mother arrive in London to a landscape of shocking devastation. Hazel is confronted with the visceral reality of the Blitz: houses with their fronts blown off, craters in the streets, and families left homeless. Camellia uses the horrifying sights to impress upon Hazel why she and Flora must remain in the safety of the countryside. The experience shatters Hazel’s remaining innocence and forces her to understand the true stakes of the war.
At Great Ormond Street Hospital, they find Kelty bandaged but alive. The ward is a grim tableau of injured children. Hazel is particularly struck by a young girl with "M ¼" written on her forehead—a nurse’s notation for a fourth dose of morphine. Kelty begs to return to Binsey with Hazel, but the stern Matron Lane insists she will be sent to her aunt. That night, back in the cottage, Hazel makes a momentous decision. She tells Flora that they must stay in Binsey and cannot go anywhere else, "Not even Whisperwood." In the face of the war's brutal reality, Hazel declares their imaginary world, a cornerstone of their Sisterhood and Family Bonds, to be over. She believes that The Power of Stories and Imagination has no place in a world of bombs and death.
Chapter 39: St. Frideswide's Day
On a deceptively warm autumn day, October 19, 1940, the tension between Hazel and Harry reaches a boiling point. Hazel is consumed by her adolescent longing for him, a feeling so intense she masks it with anger and brusqueness. While Bridie is in Oxford arranging for a telephone to be installed—a grim necessity of the war—the three children have a picnic by the river. After Flora falls asleep, Harry mentions that he has overheard Hazel and Flora’s "stories," unknowingly trespassing on their sacred, secret world. Hazel, feeling exposed and furious, accuses him of spying and runs to their secret hideout inside a large, riven tree.
Harry follows her into the tree, and the confined space amplifies their emotional turmoil. He apologizes, and his gentle touch melts her anger. Their pent-up feelings erupt in a passionate kiss, a moment of intense connection that feels both inevitable and forbidden. The spell is broken when Bridie’s parting words—"watch out for each other"—echo in Hazel’s mind. A sudden sense of dread sends them rushing back to the riverbank. They arrive to find the red blanket, the picnic basket, and an empty space where Flora should be. Flora is gone.
Chapter 40: A Fairy Tale in London
The narrative shifts focus entirely to Peggy Andrews and her lover, Wren, in March 1960. They have run away together and are now in a luxurious room at the Savoy Hotel in London. Their conversation is intimate and intellectual, revolving around the nature of fairy tales. Peggy, drawing on Tolkien, explains that stories are meant to provide "the consolation of a happy ending" and a "recovery of sorts," allowing one to see the real world anew.
stories are meant to provide "the consolation of a happy ending" and a "recovery of sorts," allowing one to see the real world anew.
This quote encapsulates Peggy's optimistic view of storytelling. She believes that fairy tales offer not just escapism, but a renewed perspective on reality, providing comfort and hope in difficult times.
Wren reveals the truth about his suspension from Harvard—he was exonerated after protecting a friend—proving Peggy’s mother wrong and solidifying their bond. The chapter ends with Wren telling Peggy, "You are my fairy tale," cementing their story as one of hope, escape, and the successful creation of a new, happy reality.
Key Events
- The London Blitz: Hazel witnesses the devastation of the Blitz firsthand, bringing the war's reality into sharp focus.
- The End of Whisperwood: Hazel declares the end of their imaginary world, believing it has no place in a world consumed by war.
- The Dead End: Hazel and Harry's meeting with Imogene in 1960 provides no new information about Flora's disappearance.
- The Kiss: Hazel and Harry share a passionate kiss, a moment of intense connection that has tragic consequences.
- Flora's Disappearance: Flora vanishes while Hazel and Harry are distracted, marking the pivotal event of the novel.
- Peggy's Escape: Peggy and Wren run away to London, beginning their own "fairy tale" and offering a counterpoint to Hazel's tragedy.
Character Development
- Hazel Linden: Undergoes a brutal transition from child to adolescent, rejecting imagination and grappling with intense guilt.
- Experiences the harsh realities of war in London.
- Rejects the world of Whisperwood.
- Distraction leads to Flora's disappearance.
- Harry Aberdeen: His feelings for Hazel deepen, acting as both a catalyst for tragedy and a source of support in the future.
- Expresses romantic feelings for Hazel.
- Unknowingly distracts Hazel, contributing to Flora's disappearance.
- Encourages Hazel to continue her search in 1960.
- Peggy Andrews: Achieves liberation by breaking free from her mother and embracing a new life with Wren.
- Escapes her controlling mother.
- Embraces a "fairy tale" life with Wren.
- Offers a contrasting perspective on the power of stories.
Themes & Symbols
- The Impact of War: The war's devastation becomes a tangible reality, shattering innocence and irrevocably altering lives. The bombing of London and the injured children in the hospital serve as stark reminders of the war's reach.
- Guilt, Blame, and Forgiveness: This becomes the central theme of Hazel’s life, with Flora's disappearance directly linked to Hazel's distraction. This moment becomes the source of a lifetime of guilt that shapes all her future actions and relationships.
- The Power of Stories and Imagination: The section presents a complex view of this theme. Hazel rejects stories as childish, while Peggy embraces them as a means of creating hope and a new reality.
- The Riven Tree: Once a symbol of childhood sanctuary, the tree transforms into the setting for Hazel and Harry’s kiss and, by extension, the scene of the crime. It symbolizes the loss of innocence and the moment everything changed.
Significance
This section is the narrative heart of the novel, containing the pivotal event that sets the entire plot in motion: Flora’s disappearance. The juxtaposition of the 1940 tragedy with the 1960 storylines is crucial. Hazel’s desperate search in the present is given its full, heartbreaking weight by the depiction of the loss in the past. Furthermore, the introduction of Peggy’s joyful escape to London in Chapter 40 provides a vital thematic contrast, highlighting the novel’s core exploration of how stories can either be destroyed by reality or used to create a new one.
Key Quotes
"You can’t un-know things, Hazel."
Harry's words serve as a turning point for Hazel, pushing her to continue her search for Flora despite her despair. This quote highlights the burden of knowledge and the impossibility of ignoring the past, even when it is painful.
"Not even Whisperwood."
Hazel's declaration marks the end of her and Flora's imaginary world, a desperate attempt to protect her sister from the harsh realities of war. This quote symbolizes the loss of innocence and the rejection of imagination in the face of trauma.