Persephone “Percy” Fraser is the novel’s protagonist and narrator. Through alternating chapters that cover different timelines, Percy is depicted between the ages of 13 and 30 over the course of the story. She is the only daughter of parents who are both professors at University of Toronto. Percy and her family live in Toronto, but they spend their summers and holidays at Barry’s Bay after her parents buy a lakeside cottage when Percy is 13.

Percy meets Sam Florek during her first summer at Barry’s Bay, and they become fast friends. At this age, there are two things Percy defines herself by: her skill at making friendship bracelets and her love of horror. She shares both of these with Sam as they grow closer. Despite having had some issues with friends back at her school in the city, young Percy is fairly outgoing. She makes friends with the Florek brothers easily and even reconciles her friendship with Delilah after she returns to the city; this reconciliation is helped by the confidence and self-esteem that she regains through her friendship with Sam.

Percy is talented and hardworking. Following her teacher’s recommendation, she works hard on a short story, which is good enough to earn her a spot in a writer’s workshop.