Blythe Connor

Blythe Connor is the main character of the novel, which is largely told from her perspective in the form of a manuscript addressed to her ex-husband, Fox. Born in 1975, she is about 40 years old with blonde hair and blue eyes in 2015. As a child, Blythe desperately wants a relationship with her mother, Cecilia. They never show affection or exchange kind words. Parenting Blythe is a painful chore, and Cecilia abandons Blythe and her father, Seb, when Blythe is 11 years old. Blythe forms a relationship with her best friend’s mother, Mrs. Ellington, who lives close by.

Blythe meets Fox in college, where she studies to become a writer. After marrying him, she is optimistic about motherhood. But she struggles to find a loving connection with Violet. She believes that Violet dislikes her from birth and lacks the innocence and empathy of other children as she grows. Most...