A belief system that Robin adopts by the end of the book is karma, the idea that life rewards or punishes people based on their previous actions. This belief system helps her take responsibility for her actions and believe that she can make things right.

Victor first introduces this concept after Johan is hit in the head by a brick someone threw in the window. They can’t go to the police, so they find solace in the fact that “when you do bad things to people and don’t get punished for it, justice will still prevail because bad things will then happen to you in return” (280). When one doesn’t want to inflict revenge, karma offers a belief system that requires no intervention from the victim but still results in justice. In her own way, Beauty believes this too. She’s committed to her belief that violence won’t improve their lives because “violence begets more violence” (96). When Robin hears that karma is a possible explanation as to how the world works, she hopes it’s true.

Later, karma urges Robin to take responsibility for her actions. As she visits Victor in the hospital, it strikes her that she’s being punished for the bad things she has done.