Pete

Pete begins the novel around 31 years old. He is a counselor who works for the Department of Family Services and has recently uprooted his life to move to Tenmile, Montana, a small rural town. Pete married very young because his girlfriend, Beth, got pregnant with their daughter when they were 17. Since then, the marriage has dissolved after Pete discovered Beth cheating on him, though later conversations indicate that he feels he was to blame as well, since he resented the life he was forced into living at such a young age and perhaps subconsciously attempted to drive her away.

Pete's family issues also include his strained relationship with his father, who has always mocked his life choices. Pete grew up in a wealthy family and there seem to be many implications that his father used his money to get Pete and his brother out of trouble, though Pete...