Jake Moon

Jake is the narrative's central character and first person narrator. He is in his mid teens, around fourteen or fifteen, the child of a single parent, and caught in a situation where what might be described as the "usual" struggles of adolescence (i.e. conflicts with parents, desires to be liked and/or normal, questions of identity) are made even more complicated by the disruptive influence of his grandfather's illness. He is an interesting and complicated character, portrayed with what seems to be a clear-eyed honesty on the part of the author, simultaneously affectionate and angry, sad and resentful, confrontational and sulky, vulnerable and defensive. Ultimately, the narrative creates the sense that Jake is basically a "good kid", just caught in a situation that would be a challenge and a struggle for anyone.

What makes Jake's story particularly interesting is that he is not depicted as a...