“I’m scared that I will never do anything of value with my life.”

Early in the novel, Hannah makes yet another significant move by relocating to her hometown of Los Angeles. With each move comes a deep sense of uncertainty and fear; still undecided about who she wants to be and what she wants to do in life, Hannah fears that she will live the rest of her days feeling lost and unfulfilled.

“It’s always my impulse to ignore the bad, to run toward the good.”

Hannah acknowledges that her habit of ignoring the greater issues in her life has gotten her nowhere. Acknowledging this habit is the first step toward making positive changes. This is the first step in her journey of gaining knowledge about herself, facing her issues, and finding purpose in her life.

“But there has always been an unspoken tension. There is always this sense that we haven’t followed through on our plan.”

Reflecting on her relationship with Ethan, Hannah acknowledges that their romance has always felt unfinished. Moving back to her hometown opens up the possibility to rekindle the love they once shared and foreshadows events that occur later in the novel.