Sasha

Sasha is the main character and first person narrator of the novel. As a young girl, Sasha grows up in New Jersey with her mother and father. Her parents’ divorce when she is young, and Sasha spends her time split between them. Her mother, a former model, has an obsession with beauty and appearance that she passes on to her daughter. Her father works as a lamp and chandelier repairman, and takes Sasha with him on weekend jobs. During one such weekend, Sasha swims in the client's pool, jumps off the diving board, and injures her head. The incident harms her father's career. He leaves New Jersey for Florida, remarries, starts a new family, and stops speaking to Sasha.

Over the years, Sasha's best friend is Dyson. They often spend time together after school, and remain close through college, and into adulthood.

In her early twenties, Sasha develops...