What Lies Between Us

Nina’s memory box is a gift given to her by Alistair, which she fills with mementos from her childhood and early teenage years, including photos and school assignments. During Nina’s childhood, the box serves as a sign of the bond between Alistair and Nina, but following Alistair’s death, it takes on additional significance, becoming a tangible symbol of what has been lost.

When Nina places the box under Maggie’s bed, she intends it to serve as an accusation. She wants it to be a reminder of all that Maggie has taken away from Nina, starting with her pregnancy, indicated by the positive pregnancy test preserved in the box. In this way, the box connects with the novel’s exploration of Guilt, Blame, and Revenge. John Marrs shows how the events of the past are still negotiable in the present, and indeed, how those events can even become a battleground for shaping the future.

When Maggie uses the contents of the box as kindling to lead the fire up the stairs, it emphasizes that the house itself is a memory box of sorts. The rising flames signify the end of an era, as well as a potential new beginning.