“They’re not in love. No one is leaving their spouse anytime soon. It’s nothing like that. For her, it’s a form of escapism, release, revenge.”

Shelby considers her affair to be a harmless outlet for her frustrations. Her turbulent relationship with Jason illustrates the way that modern suburban life can trap people in unhappy situations, connecting with Kubica’s broader critique of The Oppressive Suburban Environment. Shelby and Jason do love each other, even as they carry on affairs, leaving readers to parse whether the system or the flawed individuals who participate in it are at fault.

“Gus is a fraidy-cat, not that I can blame him. Gus is the good one. I’m the one who’s bad. I’m the one always getting into trouble.”

Gus serves as an external manifestation of some of Carly’s thoughts and feelings, with Gus being more cautious and Carly more prone to taking risks. Carly blames herself and sees herself as inadequate or bad, revealing her trauma-induced lack of self-esteem. After her return to society, Carly continues to view herself as subservient to or lesser than others. In these lines, Kubica uses repetition for emphasis, repeating “I’m the one […]”

“I’m scared as heck, wondering what she wants to know my name for. But I tell her, anyway […] She don’t seem like the kind of lady who would snatch kids that aren’t hers and keep them in her basement.”

Kubica enriches each of the novel’s narrators with a unique voice. In Carly’s case, this includes a fearful outlook and rural accent. Kubica gives readers a glimpse of Carly’s mindset early on, providing context for Carly’s later struggles. She shows that Carly is not responsible for her erratic behavior, something Leo realizes only gradually.