Alice

Alice is the main character who also narrates the story of her life. Since her father's death at the age of 5, she lives with her mother and her mother's boyfriends. Her life with her mother is unstable. When it becomes clear that her mother cannot provide Alice with the care that she needs, her mother is sent to a mental asylum. At the age of 10, Alice moves to live with her Uncle Billy and Aunt Frances. Uncle Billy and Aunt Frances bring some much-needed stability to Alice's childhood, but Alice never becomes fully integrated into Uncle Billy's household. Alice can't help feeling like a guest in their house, especially since Aunt Frances expects Alice to follow strict rules of conduct during her stay. When Alice is 13, she moves again to live with her grandmother Nonna. Nonna is quite elderly and is not in a position to regulate Alice's...