“It was as if her memories had a geography all their own. In the most recent ones she was on safe and firm ground and was the Faith she wanted and tried hard to be; further back she was the neglected little girl who seemed to be ground zero for lice infestations, the wild teenager who could just as easily have gone to prison as to college.”

Faith is the first character who is introduced, and her mystery drives the story for a major portion of the book. This passage hints at her secret and the backstory she is hiding. It also introduces the larger theme of memories and the life changes that will take place over the course of the coming decades.

“Chapter One. How many times in her life had those two words invited her to go to a different place, a better place than the one she lived in?”

This passage alludes to The Power of Books and Imagination. Worn out from caring for her young twins, Faith takes refuge in a moment to herself to read. The idea of escaping into books foreshadows how the book club will provide a unifying thread throughout the novel. The various books that the members read reflect their personalities, interests, and worries while providing a dramatic structure.

“It wasn’t so hard fooling everybody; however, always being careful was exhausting. But Faith knew being tired was nothing compared to being found out.”

Faith’s secret, introduced in Chapter 1, foreshadows how all of the women will keep one secret at some point or another. Secrets build suspense and tension in the novel. When each woman shares hers with the others, she experiences catharsis, speaking to the healing power of Friendship, Love, and Loyalty, especially when navigating loss and change.