Vesta Gul

Vesta Gul is the 72-year-old first person narrator and protagonist of the novel. Vesta grew up in Valtura, a town near the Adriatic. Her parents had had little money. After meeting Walter, she realized she "had to abandon [her] roots in order to live a more comfortable life" (57). However, her longtime marriage was not defined by happiness. Though Walter provided for her, he did not love her in the way she had hoped and expected. Though he complimented her mind and beauty early on, he gradually seemed to tire of her. Vesta was thus left alone with her thoughts most days. After his cancer diagnosis, he became needier and affectionate, which bothered Vesta. She was even more heartbroken when, after his death, she discovered Walter had been having extramarital affairs with his students for many years.

Not long after he died, Vesta adopted a dog, Charlie, and...