The negative review of Frances’s book
Right before she will enter the Tranquilium resort, Frances gets a call revealing to her the negative critic’s review of her new book, calling her work misogynistic and anti-feminist. This is the last drop that makes Frances completely doubt herself and her place in the world. At the end, Frances learns the insignificance of that criticism and to not let it break her, so it symbolizes a turning point, the end of her old life and the beginning of a new chapter.
Jessica’s appearance
Jessica’s appearance is prominently displayed in the novel, the obvious plastic surgery that she’d done and how it creates a false image of her. She sees it as a necessary improvement of herself, but it is only an indulgence to her insecurities. There is a contrast between how she sees herself and how Ben sees her. While Jessica sees her procedures as an addition to herself, she is still the same person, Ben sees Jessica only for her appearance, unable to see the person behind.
Drug-induced therapy
While the drug-induced therapy helps the nine people face their fears and overcome them, the question of consent is problematic. Masha decides to secretly drug her guests in small proportions, and create a drug therapy with guests as guinea pigs. She sees herself as a divine being looking over them and having their lives in her hands. It is a disturbing show of a slowly mentally declining person having control.
The Russian dolls and the door code
In an ultimate riddle for the guests locked in the meditation room, Masha hides Russian dolls on the ceiling containing a clue for their escape. As they get to the final doll, they discover that there is no actual clue. At the end, it is revealed that this is the ultimate paradox, the absence of a clue is the clue, as there was no need for a code to unlock the door. The door was unlocked the entire time.
