Reckless Girls: A Novel

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

The psychological impact of isolation on group dynamics is evident both in the dark history of Meroe Island and in the way that social and behavioral norms break down among its visitors as their visit lengthens. Hawkins utilizes the story of Meroe Island both symbolically and as foreshadowing of the novel’s most violent events. All the characters experience stress while on the island, but Nico, Lux, and Amma in particular epitomize the psychological impact of isolation on the group.

Everyone in the group has heard the grisly stories about Meroe Island, and it influences the way that they see the space, both prior to and after their arrival there. The island is the storied site of a famous shipwreck, the sailors of which resorted to cannibalism in order to survive. Forgotten for decades, the island was used during World War II and then gradually became an off-the-beaten-track tourist spot. Lux particularly feels a sense of dread about the trip and readily believes the most lurid stories that Robbie tells her about its history of cannibalism and the eerie events that have befallen its various visitors.