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Betrayal is a theme in the novel. What did you think when you learned the reason behind the rift between the trio of friends? What do you think about Beth’s actions? Do you think she was justified, given the circumstances? Would you have done the same thing in her shoes?
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I was a bit taken aback at what Beth did and surprised given she had shared an earlier secret with Mab and Osla that was far less impactful. This is a tough one in that I wasn’t convinced by Beth’s reasons for not telling her friends. I thought she was in the wrong. It’s explained that Beth’s reason was that she was anxious about her already having revealed information before and she was resolved not to again and she didn’t want to endanger the mission.
The unspoken explanation for her actions, which is never said outright but is shown in earlier parts of the book, is that Beth has difficulty relating to people, reading their emotions, and difficulty in social settings. She has the ability to “tune them out.” That’s great for her cipher work, but terrible in situations that require emotional intelligence. She’s a brilliant cryptographer but has little common sense or intuition when it comes to relationships. So, no, I don’t think she was justified in her decisioning, although I can understand her reasoning. But it was flawed and immature. I’d like to say, as an aside, kudos to Quinn for bringing Beth’s peculiar personality to life. Her characters are certainly complex individuals! There’s a lot to admire about Beth, but she also has deep flaws, as the betrayal demonstrates.
I think Beth did have options to warn her friends without endangering the secret. I would have done what Osla and Mab said when they confronted her – that she could have simply told Mab to call off the visit and that she couldn’t give her the reasons why, but just do it. Osla also pointed out that when Beth wanted to know about her loved one (Harry), she pressed Osla, and Olsa told. So why didn’t she? As Osla said, “We lie to everyone – just not each other.”
I don’t think I would have done what Beth did because I think both Mab and Osla had proven that they were loyal, discreet, and trustworthy friends, and there already had been an exchange of secrets without consequence or betrayal. But, as mentioned, Beth has a particular personality, as Quinn writes her.
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