Throughout the novel, the two protagonists’ traumatic pasts illustrate the myriad ways in which past issues can impact present behavior. For Zanders, his fraught relationship with his parents and his infamous hockey reputation influence his behavior in his adult life. Likewise, Stevie’s unhealthy relationships with her ex-boyfriend, Brett, and her hypercritical mother continue to impact her self-esteem. Both characters continue to suffer from the long-term effects of their trauma, and the interpersonal, vocational, and familial aspects of their lives suffer as a result, especially when they attempt to compartmentalize their past experiences and avoid the associated pain. Over time, however, these unresolved traumas weigh on their hearts and affect their relationships.

Both protagonists begin to change and grow when they gain the courage to confront their trauma. Ever since he was a young man, Zanders has “hated [him]self for a whole lot of [...] reasons” (2). His lingering resentment over his mother’s physical abandonment and his father’s emotional abandonment fuels his angry outbursts and panic attacks in the present, and he also continues to hold onto his anger and bitterness toward his parents without addressing the underlying issues. However, Zanders takes the first step toward healing when he starts seeing his therapist, and over time, his sessions with Eddie and his loving relationships with Stevie,

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