The Same Backward as Forward

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

47 pages 1-hour read

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Same Backward as Forward

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2025

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Part 1, Chapters 14-29Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of illness, death, addiction, sexual content, and substance use.

Part 1: “Hannah”

Part 1, Chapter 14 Summary

Hannah goes back to work and starts thinking about how to move Toby so that Jackson doesn’t become a target. Toby is healing slowly and awake more often, which gives him far more opportunities to tease and taunt Hannah. He offers to play cards with her, and she reluctantly agrees, as long as he will be quiet for two days if she wins. Hannah wins, and she gets her silence.

Part 1, Chapter 15 Summary

Despite the silence, Hannah can’t ignore Toby, as he continues staring at her. They decide to play cards again, but this time Hannah loses. She asks him about something that he’s been saying in his sleep regarding a poisoned tree, but Toby doesn’t know what it refers to.

Part 1, Chapter 16 Summary

Hannah finds the shack door open and instantly panics. Inside, she sees Toby writhing as Jackson tries to lay him down. Jackson explains that Toby tried to stand up and hurt himself again, and Hannah can see that Toby is crying. She knows he must feel terrified and lost but refuses to show empathy beyond her basic care. Suddenly, Toby implies that he knows Hannah is angry at him about something and that she isn’t telling him something important.

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