Vanessa aka Nellie

Vanessa, whom the reader learns is the same person as Nellie, is the leading character and narrator for much of the novel. Vanessa falls for Richard’s charm and charisma believing that she will be safe and loved with him. She imagines them growing old together.

Despite her optimism about her relationship with Richard, Vanessa notices from the beginning that there are some strange things about him. She first notices that he sometimes seems scripted. He also buys a house for her in the suburbs even though she does not remember ever having said that she wanted to live in the suburbs. The house becomes a sort of prison for Vanessa because it keeps her away from other people and away from the city.

Vanessa quits both her full-time job and part-time job when she and Richard get married. She intends to devote herself to Richard...