Victoria Jones

Victoria Jones is the main character of the book. Throughout the novel, the chapters alternate between Victoria's current perspective and her perspective as a child. This allows the reader to see how her childhood experiences influence her physical, cognitive and emotional experiences as an adult.

As a child who has grown up in and is jaded by the foster system, the reader can see that Victoria has been hurt and has a hard time trusting people and communicating with them. The reader also learns that Victoria struggles with physical and/or emotional intimacy so she avoids being touched at all costs. However Victoria does not present as a sympathetic child in many of the memories she shares with the reader. She presents as difficult, sarcastic, stubborn, manipulative and guarded.

It is clear, though, that Victoria has developed these behaviors as a way to survive in a world...