One of the Girls

Secrets are the driving force behind the story, serving as a plot device that drives the action, tension, and eventual resolution. The secrets these women keep together—and those they keep from each other—both bind them together and threaten to dissolve their bonds. Each woman arrives on the island with hidden truths that shape her behavior. Bella has been dishonest with Fen, straining their relationship. Meanwhile, Ana conceals her past knowledge of Eleanor and her connection to Ed through their son. Lexi, too, harbors a significant secret: her pregnancy, which only Robyn knows about. The hen weekend, on a Greek island far from the women’s daily lives, serves as a sequestered space in which hidden truths come to light, reinforcing how secrets create conflict in even close relationships: “We caught the hushed tones of arguments meant to be played out in private” (113). The characters cannot forever ignore the tension beneath the surface, and their secrets define the characters as much as their truths do.

Bella senses early that something is off with Ed, though she can’t articulate exactly what it is. Her intuition is validated when the truth about Ed’s abuse and manipulation surfaces. In one interlude, the narrative reflects, “The real problems began when we discovered we were being lied to. No one likes to be made a fool of. That sort of thing, well, it couldn’t go unpunished, could it?” (233). Ed’s most devastating secret is not just that he is the father of Ana’s child, but that he raped Ana. He also bullied Sam to the point of serious injury. Eleanor’s breakdown stems in part from hiding her role in Sam’s death and being unaware of Ana’s history with Ed. These secrets and others serve as catalysts for the collapse of some relationships and the strengthening of others.

Secrets about identity and desire also come into play. Bella and Robyn shared an intimate experience years ago, which Robyn ignored in order to maintain the image of being heterosexual. This unresolved tension affects their dynamic and shapes Bella’s bitterness toward Robyn, with Lexi believing it is just Bella being judgmental. Their secret history represents the cost of hiding one’s truth to meet social expectations. With help from Fen, Robyn finds the courage stop hiding from herself and others. Meanwhile, Bella unburdens herself of the secret guilt she feels over Sam’s death. When Eleanor, who lost her beloved husband because of Bella’s mistake, rescues Bella after her fall from the cliff, both women confront their buried guilt and emotional scars. As the story reaches its climax, all secrets come to light: Ed’s rape of Ana, his fatherhood of Luca, and his indirect responsibility for Sam’s death. Eleanor ultimately kills Ed, and the group collectively chooses to hide her role in it, suggesting they have found solidarity through shared hardship. Their silence becomes another powerful secret. Sixteen months later, their relationships remain fragile, but still intact, suggesting that secrets, though often destructive, are also sometimes necessary for survival.