Summary

In Chapter 1, 46-year-old Jane Gibson lives in Los Angeles with her husband Lenny and her two children, Finn and Ruby. While pushing Finn on the swing at the park, Jane frets over Finn’s recent psychological assessment. She worries that Finn’s idiosyncrasies are symptoms of a more serious condition.

After visiting the park, Jane and Finn return to Jane’s friend Brett’s house. Jane and her family are staying here while Brett and his family are living in Australia. Brett is working on a new film there. Jane is an adjunct college professor and struggling writer; Lenny is a visual artist. They cannot afford their own house. So, they move often, from one house-sitting arrangement to the next. This is the best arrangement so far, as Brett’s is “a special house” (7). Jane hopes to finish her second novel in Brett...