Hannah Wells

Hannah Wells is introduced as an academically accomplished music major at Briar University. Her life has been profoundly shaped by a sexual assault she experienced five years before the novel begins. Rather than reducing her to her trauma, Kennedy carefully constructs Hannah as a fully realized person with ambitions, talents, and a rich inner life. She is hardworking and intellectually sharp — earning an "A" on an ethics midterm that most of her classmates barely passed.

Hannah possesses a remarkable singing talent that genuinely stuns Garrett when he first hears her perform. Her closest friendship with her roommate Allie provides her with emotional warmth and a reliable support system, and the two have developed careful routines, such as Allie staying sober at parties. The routines allow Hannah to slowly re-engage with social life on her own terms.

The ripple effects of Hannah's assault extend far beyond her own...