Marlee

Marlee is the novel’s central character – its protagonist, and also its narrator. About to enter her teen years as the novel begins (her thirteenth birthday is an important event in the story), she portrays herself as extremely quiet, rarely speaking even when she’s spoken to (Marlee finding her voice is a key component of the book’s primary narrative and thematic lines). She also portrays herself as being more comfortable thinking in terms of numbers than in words. For example, instead of calming herself with deep breaths or soothing word and thoughts, as many people advise / are advised, Marlee calms herself by reciting all the prime numbers in her head. She also portrays herself, at the novel’s beginning, as being extremely dependent on her older sister Judy for support and encouragement. By the novel’s conclusion, all three of these major elements of her character...