The Bone Clocks

Holly disposes of the dead hens and the fox. Later that morning, she and Lorelei commemorate the anniversary of Aoife and Örvar’s deaths. Holly grieves for the destruction of the world during her lifetime, represented by a devastating event that severely cut global access to electricity, known as the Endarkenment.

Holly, Lorelei, and Rafiq chat with their neighbor Mo, a retired physicist, before going to school. Along the way, a farmer named Declan reminds Lorelei about her sleepover with Declan’s daughter, Izzy. When they see a drone passing overhead, Lorelei recites “The Cloud” by English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and explains how the poem demonstrates the cycle of death and rebirth.

At the school, Holly chats with the deputy principal, confirming that she’d like Lorelei and Rafiq to sit out of Bible study classes. Holly also sees the mayor of the nearby village of Kilcrannog, Martin Walsh, and they talk about their families and the possibility of getting coal for the winter. Martin assures her of a supply but is less certain about distribution. A few others join in the conversation and talk about the upcoming election, where Martin is being challenged by a Bible-thumping far-right candidate named Muriel Boyce.

Holly goes into town afterwards to barter and trade goods. She then goes to the pub, where people talk about refugees, the Chinese military, and their uncertainty over current events. The conversation is interrupted by the arrival of a much-anticipated supply convoy, managed by Irish and Chinese soldiers. Holly returns to the school to pick up the children. Parents express their disappointment in the mayor over the recent supply of rations. As Holly and the kids head back home, Muriel Boyce speaks to Holly about her refusal to let the children join Bible study. Muriel aggressively tries to convince Holly to change her mind, but Holly stands her ground.

Holly and the kids return home, where they report the day’s events to Mo. Lorelei leaves for her sleepover, and Holly miraculously manages to get a video call through to her brother Brendan. Security and violence are abundant in the zone where Brendan lives, making it difficult for him to visit Holly. Earlier that day, Brendan killed a gang member in self-defense, but then realized that the gang member was just a young teenager. The call cuts off as Brendan implores Holly to stay where she is.

Holly feels hopeless as she tries to sleep that night. She calls out to any surviving Horologist for a miracle to help them escape from Sheep’s Head.

Holly fears that the nuclear reactor near Brendan’s home may have gone into meltdown. She waits for news on the radio while she cuts Rafiq’s hair. Rafiq suddenly remembers someone from his birth family cutting his hair, which leads Holly to recall how she found him as a child, nearly dead. Rafiq had been a refugee on a boat headed for Norway. Holly rescued him after he drifted to shore on the Sheep’s Head peninsula and adopted him to prevent his deportation.

The news unexpectedly reports that China is withdrawing from its trade agreements with Ireland, which means that their stabilizing military presence will soon disappear. Holly is anxious that the country’s insulin supply will eventually run out, depriving Rafiq of his medicine. She also worries that Lorelei will have to endure a terrible marriage into the Boyce family to survive.

Later that day, they hear gunfire in the distance. As jeeps approach their side of town, Mo and Holly hide the children—the jeeps are militia rather than the military. The militiamen threaten the women and take Mo’s solar panels, claiming that elderly people like them owe it to the new generation. The previous day’s drone was the militia’s reconnaissance. In the middle of the altercation, the militiamen withdraw after an explosion nearby.

The village descends into chaos and fighting. Holly and Lorelei join Declan’s family, learning that he and his son Max haven’t returned from the village. Finally, Max appears and describes what happened: The military arrived to requisition solar panels and diesel from Sheep’s Head; they then fought with the militia, which resulted in the death of the military leader and the destruction of the village fuel tanker. Now, villagers are setting up roadblocks to prevent any further incursions. Max and his brother set out to help in the effort while the women remain at the farm to gather food supplies. Holly resolves to visit town the following day to ask the village doctor about insulin.

Rafiq sees a ship passing the peninsula. The men on the ship ask for Holly and Lorelei, and come up to the house to find them. They are Icelandic and accompany one of the president’s advisers, Harry Veracruz. Since Lorelei is an Icelandic citizen, thanks to Örvar’s heritage, they intend to repatriate her. Holly is saddened, but relieved to know that Lorelei will be saved from the impending chaos. The men stress that they can only take Lorelei with them.

Harry confides to Holly that he is actually Marinus. Marinus explains escaping the Second Mission alongside Hugo Lamb, though he is uncertain what became of Hugo afterwards. Marinus and another surviving Horologist, L’Ohkna, have founded a new group called Prescience, which takes an interventionist approach to world events. Holly convinces Lorelei to leave for Iceland, and then asks Marinus to use his powers to persuade the ship’s crew to take Rafiq as well. Marinus agrees, but he cannot bring Holly along too. Marinus promises to care for the children. Mo assures Rafiq that she, along with the other citizens in the Sheep’s Head Republic, will look after Holly.

Marinus gives Mo and Holly rations, as well as a device that will allow them to remain in contact without an Internet connection. Holly bids her grandchildren good-bye at the pier.