Summary

Chapter 9 introduces Marianne Ihlen, who is Axel Jensen’s wife. Erica is in awe of her beauty and cheerful personality, and quickly feels comfortable talking with her. Erica, Marianne, Charmian, and others are at the beach; Erica notices how Charmian is livelier when George is not around. Chapter 9 primarily consists of Erica observing the characters’ blissful playing at the beach. The moments of relative significance consist of Erica meeting Marianne, Marianne telling Erica that Charmian had an affair when George was once sick, and Erica’s general education on the promiscuity within Charmian’s group.

Chapter 10 is brief and depicts Erica reflecting on her creative inertia and talking to Bobby about not knowing their mother very well. In the next few chapters, Erica continues to observe the doings of life on Hydra, which begin to adopt a mundane quality in her perspective...