Molly Ayer

Molly is the novel's central character / protagonist. Seventeen years old at the time the novel is set, narration reveals that her father died in a car accident when she was young, which in turn caused her grieving mother to resort to drugs and become an addict, leaving Molly a virtual orphan. As a result of these circumstances, Molly has become angry and bitter, guarded and tough, outspoken, sarcastic, and forthright to the point of rudeness. All this has led her to being moved from foster home to foster home, leaving her also feeling unwanted.

At the beginning of the novel, Molly has become particularly difficult as the result of the abusive attacks she faces from her current foster parents, Dina and Ralph. Her anger and frustration are vividly revealed in her reaction to being given the assignment of cleaning out Vivian's attic as part of sentence to...