Guilt and betrayal

The theme of guilt and betrayal relates to Mallory’s complex relationship with her father, Archie. Mallory and Archie’s close bond—based on a shared love of chess—came to an end when Mallory discovered he was having an affair with a chess arbiter. Mallory’s consequent estrangement from her father and his eventual death leaves her in a bitter cycle of guilt and vindictiveness, as she is unsure who she blames more for the tragic end of their nuclear family: herself or Archie.

To begin, Hazelwood makes it clear at the novel’s beginning that guilt is integral to Mallory’s worldview. This is accomplished through Mallory’s musings on college, which Mom offers to pay for her to attend: “I don’t want anyone in my family to think that they owe me anything, or to feel guilty about my decisions...