Sharp Objects Chapters 9 - 13
Chapter 9
Camille wakes up to a bright sun and finds Adora and Gayla tending the rose garden. Adora announces they’re going shopping for a party dress, ignoring Camille’s attempt to discuss the Nashes. When Camille offers to take discarded roses for her room, Adora blames her for a thorn prick that she suffers while gardening. At the dress shop, Camille is introduced as Adora’s third daughter. The revealing dresses make Camille uncomfortable since they’ll be certain to reveal her scars, and Adora insists Amma isn’t ready for such clothes. Adora follows Camille to the dressing room, and Camille feels punished as she tries on the dresses. Overwhelmed, she reveals her scars to Adora and a shocked Amma.
Back home, Camille finds the cutlery drawer padlocked. As she decides to call Curry, Meredith Wheeler and John Keene arrive. Meredith introduces Camille to John, and they sit down for tea. Camille expresses her desire to understand Natalie better in her article. John admits his mother would disapprove of him talking to Camille, which is one of the reasons why he moved into Meredith’s carriage house. As Camille questions John about Natalie, Meredith interrupts. John reveals that Natalie and Amma were friends who played in the woods until they had a falling out. Camille questions John about his alibi on the night of Natalie’s murder. He admits to driving around town, feeling claustrophobic. Meredith interjects, claiming John was with her, and she doesn’t want him labeled as a killer. The conversation shifts to Natalie’s violent incident in Philadelphia where she injured a classmate’s eye. The severity of the incident had compelled the Keenes to leave their home and move to Wind Gap, only for Natalie to be murdered there.
That night, Camille attends a “pity party” at her old friend Angie’s house. They watch a sad movie and discuss their lives, which feels alien to Camille. The conversation turns to Ann and Natalie, and how Amma and her friends bullied them. Camille’s defensive response leads to accusations of her not being sad enough about the murders. They reason that Camille isn’t quite a woman since she hasn’t yet had children. Back home, Camille struggles with her urge to self-harm and is haunted by images from her past and present. Amma visits her, apologizes for not knowing about Camille’s self-harm, and offers her a joint. Amma expresses her ability to be kind when everything is quiet but leaves abruptly after attempting to touch Camille.
Chapter 10
Camille’s latest article, which includes quotes from John Keene and highlights James Capisi’s ignored testimony, has been published. She stays in bed on the day it’s released, expecting backlash. Her first call is from Meredith Wheeler, upset about not being included. Camille assures her she’ll be in the next piece. Meredith hints she knows secrets about the Keenes. Meanwhile, Adora is caring for Amma, who’s unwell again. Adora blames Camille for Amma’s condition, but Camille believes Amma is just hungover.
As Camille heads to where Natalie’s body was found, Richard joins her. He needs a local guide and offers to answer three questions honestly in return for her help. They visit hidden spots in Wind Gap, including an old schoolhouse. They share personal details and end up kissing. They spend the afternoon discussing the murders and getting physically intimate with one another. Richard confirms John Keene is a suspect because he’s been publicly emotional, which is contrary to how boys his age behave.
Richard drops Camille home. She’s exhilarated from their intimate encounter. Adora, drinking at home, confesses she’s never loved Camille because she reminds her of her unloving mother, Joya. Camille retorts that she’s always loved Adora, but Adora has never reciprocated Camille’s feelings. Adora accuses Camille of being a difficult child and admits she wishes Marian had lived instead of Camille. Camille’s anger turns into despair, and she admits she’s not happy to be alive either. When Adora calls her “hateful,” Camille says she learned it from Adora. Adora threatens to scar Camille’s last unmarked spot, then leaves. Camille drinks Adora’s leftover cocktail and goes to bed, waking up sick the next day. She visits Meredith’s house, but only finds Amma and her friends by the pool. John Keene is there too, watching Amma. Camille reveals herself and asks about Meredith. John says she’s out buying sugar. Camille suggests John see a counselor, which Amma agrees with. When Camille asks why Amma is being mean, she admits she doesn’t know. Meredith returns and prepares for Camille’s interview. She denies the rumors about John and gives a rehearsed statement about the murdered girls. When Camille accuses her of lying, Meredith admits she’s afraid of John’s reaction. She reveals that both girls were bitters when angry. She shows Camille a scar from Natalie and a mangled earlobe from a sleepover at the Keene’s. She says Ann was worse and even bit Adora once during a tutoring session. Camille imagines a scar on Adora’s wrist from the bite.
Chapter 11
Camille calls Richard one evening. He’s busy but promises to call back. When he does, he mentions he’s been investigating a lead at a hospital. Camille proposes a meeting at the bar where they first met. She has a question that needs an answer. Camille is already three drinks in when Richard arrives. She’s attracted to him and almost forgets her purpose. She asks him if he has a suspect in mind for Ann and Natalie’s murders. Richard doesn’t think a woman could’ve done it. Camille shares her discovery that the girls were bitters, which might explain why their teeth were removed. Richard wants to know who they bit, but Camille refuses to say. Frustrated, Richard leaves.
At home, Alan confronts Camille, blaming her for Adora’s ill health. He threatens to kick her out if things don’t improve. He accuses her of tormenting Adora with constant reminders of Marian and the murders. Camille denies this and calls Alan naive for not seeing Adora’s lies. Alan defends Adora, citing her difficult past with her mother. Camille promises to leave soon. In her room, Camille reminisces about Marian. She visits Marian’s untouched room and wonders how Amma felt growing up near her deceased sister’s shrine. The room’s preserved state, including the lifeless porcelain dolls, unnerves Camille, and she retreats to her room. Camille calls Curry, her editor, updating him on her progress and promising a great story soon. Curry checks on her well-being, aware of the pressure she’s under. Camille admits Wind Gap makes her feel like a bad person and breaks down. Curry comforts her, assuring her she’s a good person. As he continues talking, Camille listens, cocooned under her covers.
Chapter 12
Camille goes over to Richard’s apartment with a bottle of bourbon, and they begin to drink together. He criticizes her for not revealing the identity of the bitten individual, while Camille asks him to do his job. They have sex a couple of times, but Camille doesn’t let him take off her clothes because she doesn’t want to reveal her scars to him. Eventually, Camille gives in and tells him that the girls had bitten both Meredith and Adora, but he refuses to give her anything useful for her story. Feeling used and dejected, Camille ends up driving drunk in the rain, but she soon runs into Amma, who is driving around her friends in a drug dealer's car. Against her better judgment, Camille goes along with them when Amma invites her, and they go to a party. Camille also ends up taking a pill of OxyContin from Amma, as she realizes that she wants Amma to like her. John and Meredith attempt to attend the party as well, but they are kicked out because everyone thinks that John is a serial killer.
Amma ends up forcing Camille to take a pill of ecstasy with her, and they leave the party to walk home together. As Camille and Amma walk home, they discuss Adora. Amma reveals her admiration for Adora’s room and its famous ivory floor. As Amma shares more about her life, Camille feels a deep connection with her, despite recognizing Amma’s obsession with power and adoration. Amma admits to occasional erratic behavior and self-harm, which concerns Camille. As they near Adora’s house, Amma screams out that she hurts people and likes it. Amma and Camille play together as the drugs in their systems peak. Camille is surprised by the level of violence that Amma exhibits. Camille and Amma end up sleeping together in her room as Amma insists. Camille dreams of her sister, Marian, trying to warn her about the danger in the house.
Chapter 13
Camille wakes up feeling unwell and vomits. She’s anxious, fearing her mother, Adora, might discover her and her sister Amma’s antics from the previous night. Adora enters Camille’s room, claiming Amma told her they had food poisoning. Camille plays along with the lie. Adora examines Camille, causing her pain by probing her injuries. She gives Camille a blue pill with milk, claiming it’s medicine. Camille submits to her mother’s care and falls asleep, dreaming of Adora spitting teeth into her hands.
Waking up feeling unwell, Camille finds Amma naked in her room. Amma reveals that Adora often gives her pills when she’s about to fall ill. Camille is horrified as she realizes Adora has been poisoning both her and Amma, just like she did with their late sister Marian.
Camille, feeling sick, tries to leave her house but ends up vomiting. Her mother, Adora, tries to put her back to bed, but Camille escapes and drives off, unsure of her destination. She decides to visit Jackie O’Neele, someone who knows Adora well. At Jackie’s house, a former schoolmate of Camille’s, now Jackie’s maid, lets her in. Jackie, seeing Camille’s state, offers her a painkiller and a cocktail.
Camille wants to discuss Adora. Jackie shares that Adora’s parents, the Preakers, were influential in their town and Adora was a pampered, sickly child. Jackie suggests that Adora’s beauty allowed her to escape the scandal of having Camille out of wedlock. Jackie warns Camille about Adora’s destructive nature, pointing out what happened to Camille’s late sister Marian and what’s happening to Amma now.
Camille asks Jackie about Adora’s condition. Jackie confirms that Adora is ill and her sickness is contagious. She advises Camille to leave Wind Gap for her safety. Camille apologizes for her visit, but Jackie insists that she should leave for her good.
Analysis
Adora avoids Camille, not wanting her actions to reflect on herself. She tries to make Camille uncomfortable, either as punishment or to assert control. Camille tolerates this until she can’t anymore, then takes control. Despite Adora’s attempts to embarrass her, Camille shows her scars to Amma, momentarily undermining Adora’s power. The dress shop incident leaves Camille hurt and humiliated, but aware of her mother’s controlling nature. She has to be careful during her interview, as Adora has banned investigation-related matters at home. John, who seems to want to distance himself from his secretive family, resonates with Camille due to his honesty. He and Meredith have secrets to protect themselves from police and local gossip. Camille reluctantly attends a gathering to escape home tension, only to find her friends questioning her choices and rejecting traditional femininity. Amma, affected by Camille’s scars, knows more about Camille than expected and flaunts her knowledge of Camille’s drinking problem, possibly to gain power over her.
Camille can’t avoid the impact of her article on the town. Meredith Wheeler craves a certain image and reveals secrets for Camille’s attention. Camille is surprised that Adora is oblivious to Amma’s flaws. Camille and Richard’s mutual attraction, despite the grim murder investigation, is fueled by secrecy. Richard finds John’s feminine public behavior suspicious, which influences the investigation. Adora’s confession of not loving Camille hurts her. Adora’s anger turns violent when her motherhood is questioned, asserting her dominance. Amma enjoys tormenting others but is shaken when Camille confronts her, leaving her vulnerable. Meredith aims to control the narrative but compromises when Camille threatens to shift focus. Meredith craves attention, a common trait among Wind Gap women. Camille is shocked and intrigued to learn Adora was a victim of Ann’s temper. Vickery’s suggestion of retribution murder aligns with Meredith’s account, leading Camille to suspect Adora could be the murderer.
