The Narrator / Daria

Daria is the narrator of the novel and the only character who bears witness to all of the events in the narrative (barring the epilogue/appendix of James’ Murphy’s notes for his book about Nico Berengo). Within the narrative Daria is also a character who interacts with the others: she had an emotionally and physically abusive sexual relationship with Tullio as a teenager and was romantically/sexually involved with Berengo for most of her adult life. She also plays an insignificant role as a bystander in Sergio’s prank of Lorenzo.

Early on in the novel, the narrator (not yet identified as Daria) explains the premise of her narration: she has died and keeps waking up to bear witness to incidents from the lives of people whom she hurt during her own life. The narrator is reluctant and unhappy with this situation and makes frequent...