Memory proves to be both unreliable and illuminating as Bodie navigates through conflicting recollections of the past. The novel masterfully explores how time distorts our memories, while institutional power structures can manipulate collective understanding of historical events. Through Bodie's investigation, we see how truth can be buried beneath layers of convenient narratives and selective remembrance.

The story exposes how privilege, prejudice, and hasty judgment can lead to grave miscarriages of justice. The conviction of Omar Evans serves as a mirror reflecting broader societal issues of racial bias in the criminal justice system. The prestigious boarding school setting amplifies questions about who gets protected, who gets blamed, and how institutions often prioritize their reputation over truth.

Through Bodie's evolution from a passive observer to an active truth-seeker, the novel explores women's struggle to be heard and believed. Her podcast becomes both a tool for investigation and a metaphor for female empowerment, demonstrating how modern platforms can challenge traditional power structures and give voice to previously silenced perspectives.