Matthew

Matthew is the narrator of the 2020 sections of the novel. He lives in New Jersey with his mother and great-grandmother (GG). Throughout the novel, Matthew struggles with deep feelings of loneliness and resentment, especially towards his strict mother. This causes many arguments throughout Matthew’s section as he struggles to cope with the reality of the lockdowns, his fear of losing his father, and the distance he feels from the rest of the world. Over time, Matthew discovers a passion for writing and dedicates himself to telling Mila, Nadiya, and Helen’s stories in full so that the world knows the truth.

While Matthew has the most conflict with his mother, it is his relationship with GG that affects his character arc the most. GG is presented to the reader as an elderly lady who feels she has lived for far too long. The story she shares with...