Force of Nature

“Falk hated it. He hated everything about it. He hated the way men in plush offices could wash their hands at arms’ length and tell themselves it was simply a bit of creative accounting.”

Corporate crimes and The Impact of Corporate Greed on both individuals and companies are a key part of the novel’s thematic structure. Many in the state police do not believe that financial crimes are as serious as violent ones, but Aaron disagrees, and his stance reveals his uncompromising sense of justice, especially when it comes to white-collar crime.

“Lauren, then fat and friendless, could still recall that mingling rush of confusion and relief as Alice took her arm.”

Alice and Lauren have a complex relationship that is much more fraught than it initially seems. While the two women appear outwardly genial, Lauren is secretly nursing a decades-long grudge about Alice’s adolescent bullying. Lauren also resents Alice for her tacit acceptance of her own daughter’s bullying; Alice’s daughter has viciously targeted Lauren’s daughter and was able to escape consequences because of Alice’s intervention. This long-term history of violence and cruelty adds a layer of complexity to the novel and creates an ominous undertone to the women’s increasingly fraught interactions during the hike.

“Beth had seen Bree’s look of disappointment when Alice had tossed the sisters’ backpacks together in front of the same tent. Bree would rather share with her boss than with her own sister.”

Fraught relationships are a key facet of this narrative, and the already-shaky relationships between the various women become further strained by their time in the bush. These half-articulated tensions implicitly raise the possibility that one of the women is responsible for Alice’s disappearance. The difficulty that Beth and Bree have is just one example of these fraught relationships, and the unspoken tension in the women’s actions and body language adds to the overall mystery.

“Bailey Tennant was a family firm, and Jill Bailey did what was best for the family.”

This passage establishes key aspects of Jill’s character. She is a “team player” who is willing to put aside her feelings to better serve her family and company, and she strives to be the kind of leader that her father and brother expect. She is driven and hardworking, and she always keeps up appearances even when her inner monologue reveals her irritation with the other women on the hike.

“Alice Russell and I did not get along, not at work and not on the retreat.”

Here, Bethany admits to having a difficult relationship with Alice. Her forthright honesty on this point with the two investigating officers speaks to her integrity, for she does not try to hide her antipathy toward a woman who has gone missing and might have been the target of foul play. Her description of Alice’s prickly personality is representative of the woman’s broader reputation and lends credence to the theory that Alice’s disappearance might not just be the result of a solo mishap in the bush.

“It was strange how much the bushland started to look alike. Twice she’d spotted something, once a stump, the other time a fallen tree, which she was sure she remembered from earlier. It was like walking in a semi-constant state of déjà vu.”

The women struggle on their hike in part because of the strain that getting lost places on their already fraught personal dynamics, but they also begin to feel a distinct sense of unease because they are so far from civilization. The bush is a space of potential danger and anxiety in the novel, and the author uses this setting to enhance the story’s sense of mystery and suspense.

“Sometimes it did feel like we were being watched. We weren’t obviously. There’s no way we could have been. You get paranoid out there though. Your mind starts to play tricks.”

Lauren and Alice have experience with orienteering and know how to stay safe in the wild, but the other women are relatively unprepared for their adventure, especially for the challenges that occur after they lose their way. Their collective fear of the natural world becomes a key focal point as their journey continues, and the increasing stress of their situation eats away at what little group solidarity they have, highlighting The Instability of Group Dynamics in survival situations.

“She could almost feel the palpable relief. Bree was in the right, and Beth was in the wrong. The natural order restored, everyone could relax.”

Here, Beth admits to having hidden extra food from the group even though the fault was actually her sister Bree’s. Because of Beth’s checkered past and decidedly un-corporate attitude toward work, she is less popular at the company than her go-getter sister has become. Beth is therefore a natural scapegoat in this moment of petty strife, and she is very aware of her overall lack of standing amongst the group. This moment, coupled with other instances in which Beth displays integrity and a willingness to take undeserved blame, demonstrates that the quality of her character exceeds that of her companions.

“Beth wasn’t sure if the others had sensed it, but earlier she felt the faintest stirrings in the atmosphere: something base and elemental and primitive, where a bit of stale bread and cheese became a prize worth fighting for.”

The impact of the women’s strained relationships and their fear of being stranded in the wild become increasingly evident as the novel’s backstory unfolds, and their devolving interactions continue to highlight The Instability of Group Dynamics, demonstrating that adverse conditions can exacerbate existing weaknesses in human relationships. As the forbidding nature of the bush provides a tension-filled backdrop, Beth’s reflections indicate that the group is collectively turning toward more desperate and potentially bestial behavior. The passage thus emphasizes the physical altercation that the women have in the cabin.

“Get the contracts. It’s crucial that you get the contracts. It’s imperative that you get the contracts.”

As the search for Alice continues to be unsuccessful, Aaron and Carmen become increasingly concerned that their investigation has led to her disappearance and possibly her death. The guilt that they feel becomes a key aspect of their characterization, humanizing them both and illustrating that their personal ethics account for more than just work. Although neither investigator likes Alice, they do not want to be responsible for her death, and their concerns in this matter add a humanizing touch to their operational goal to “get the contracts” and prove the existence of the company’s money-laundering scheme.

“Falk knew the Southern Cross must be hidden somewhere behind them. He’d seen it a lot as a kid in the country. One of his earliest memories was of his dad carrying him outside and pointing upwards, the sky bright with stars and his dad’s arm tight around him.”

In addition to providing deeper insight into Aaron’s character, passages like this one imply that unlike many of the women who became lost on the hike, he sees the bush as a space of quiet calm. Additionally, Aaron’s love for the natural landscape emerges in his fonder memories of his rural youth and his more positive interactions with his father. Although the two were close when he was young, his father’s choice to move them to the city damaged their bond. Now, in the wake of his father’s death, Aaron must come to terms with both the good and the bad aspects of their relationship.

“You should try to get some perspective. It’s only a bloody job.”

Alice is the only employee at Bailey Tennant who is not fully defined by her work. Even Lauren, who has been underperforming recently, wants desperately to keep her position. The women’s extreme devotion to an arguably hostile workplace causes additional strain on each member of the hiking party. Notably, Beth alone is immune, and her lack of interest in work is part of what allows her to remain more circumspect than the other characters.

“The fire was something at least. It glowed in the small clearing outside the cabin door. The flames were too weak to give off any real warmth, but as Lauren stood beside it she felt a little better than she had in the past two days.”

Several of the characters are often underestimated by their peers. Here, Lauren uses her survival skills to start a fire. Although Alice’s overbearing traits compel her to take the lead during outdoor activities, this scene proves that Lauren is just as competent. However, because she is quiet, self-conscious, and lacks Alice’s self-assuredness, her abilities are often overlooked. Her enjoyment of the fire also represents her eagerness to indulge in a vestige of civilization amidst the wildness and uncertainty of the group’s current plight.

“We all make our choices.”

The stark tone of this statement is a key part of Alice’s philosophy and worldview. Initially, Alice is characterized as a hostile bully, and even when her backstory is revealed, she continues to fulfill a largely antagonistic role in the narrative. Although her desire to leave the group is the result of her daughter’s difficulties, Alice’s indifference toward her own daughter’s cruel tendencies vividly illustrates her moral bankruptcy. At one point, Alice explicitly asserts that having a cutthroat and ruthless attitude can help people to succeed in life. When she notes, “We all make our choices,” she is expressing her opinion that individuals should not have to apologize for their own decisions, even when those decisions unfairly impact others.

“Falk thought of the skeletal teenage girl and her nest of mindfulness bracelets. How much worry and stress was tied up in those threads?”

Disordered eating and bullying are key points of focus for Harper, and in this scene, Aaron cannot help but feel pity for Rebecca, who is struggling with both. The role that parents play in teenage bullying becomes an important theme, and the author squarely indicts both adolescents who treat one another cruelly and parents who enable their children’s bad behavior.

“I’m sick of this, all of it. I’m walking out first thing tomorrow morning.”

Although Alice is a combative, unfriendly character, her resolution to walk out on her own gains additional depth in light of her daughter’s crisis. Because she knows what Margot is going through, she has additional motivation to leave. The other women do not know this, however, and from their perspective, Alice’s choice is only a reflection of her lack of respect for her coworkers.

“The track only became more difficult to navigate the further they walked. After an hour, it disappeared almost completely as it crossed a stream, then reemerged to veer erratically toward a steep drop by the side of the gorge.”

The landscape in this novel is harsh and unforgiving, and it therefore represents a dire barrier for the women as they attempt to find their way back to one of the established campsites. It also hinders the rescuers as they search for Alice. All of the characters live in the city, and the danger that they perceive in the wilderness speaks to the inherent fear that they have of what lies beyond the boundaries of civilization.

“Jill probed her mouth with her tongue. The flesh felt swollen and tender, and a tooth on the bottom right wobbled a fraction.”

The Instability of Group Dynamics is aptly displayed in this scene as Jill assesses her injuries after the group’s physical altercation. Multiple factors lead to the physical fight between the women. Their personalities do not mesh well to begin with, but those strained relations become even more acrimonious as food supplies dwindle and the weather worsens. Alice resents Jill’s attempts to keep order within the group, and the secrets that she keeps about her daughter’s predicament lead the other women to misinterpret her behavior as combative when it is actually far more complex.

“The moon dipped behind a cloud, casting Alice Russell into shadow as she disappeared around the side of the cabin.”

The ominous description of Alice in this scene serves as a moment of foreshadowing, for as she dips “into shadow” and fades from view, this image echoes her disappearance and should be read as an ominous sign that a devastating fate is about to befall her. The shadow imagery also serves as a metaphor for death, reflecting the fact that Alice is about to become involved in a fatal, final argument with Lauren.

“Never underestimate how far you’d go for your child.”

The Extremity of Parents’ Protective Instincts becomes a key part of this novel’s thematic structure. Characters like Alice and Daniel will do anything to keep their children from facing the consequences of their actions, and Jill also incurs the ire of her entire family when she refuses to force her children to sacrifice their dreams for corporate careers at Bailey Tennant.

“You think my daughter is just like me? Your daughter is just like you.”

The toxic effects of bullying are vividly displayed throughout the novel, and Harper indicates that this form of cruelty is often an inherited characteristic. Both Alice and Daniel are depicted as unethical, remorseless bullies, both as adolescents and as adults, and as Lauren’s altercation with Alice indicates, they unapologetically pass these traits on to their children.

“Alice is really dead?”

The plaintive tone of this query reflects Lauren’s complex characterization. When she and Alice have their final altercation, Lauren is left with a mixture of anger and guilt. She has been harboring a lifetime of resentment toward Alice, and the fresh emotional wound of Margot’s bullying of Rebecca only exacerbates this troubled history. However, although Lauren accidentally kills Alice, she is not entirely devoid of a moral compass. She knows that it was wrong to have injured Alice, and she is keenly aware that her decision to leave her behind was even worse.

“Not everything deserves to be forgiven.”

In this passage, Lauren reveals that she never forgave Alice for her adolescent bullying. While Lauren has thus far exuded a passive, docile demeanor, she now takes on a greater degree of agency. When she is ultimately revealed as Alice’s killer, this flinty, hard-edged comment further supports a more nuanced reading of her character, revealing that she holds uncompromising views on certain actions and behaviors.