Nan is the novel’s protagonist and, for much of the story, its villain. She enters the story attempting to steal Archie away from Agatha with a determined, militant single-mindedness. She is not pursuing him out of love or even social ambition but something much deeper. Nan prides herself on picking apart the psychological makeup of her friends, enemies, and lovers, often understanding them better than they do themselves.

The reader also sees Nan as something of a shapeshifter, from the carefree tomboy she was to the feminine seductress she becomes when she meets Archie. Nan identifies exactly what she needs to become to achieve her goals and slips into the role seamlessly. She also represents a contrast of both a dishonest homewrecker in her mission to break apart the Christies’ marriage and a devoted mother to Genevieve and lover to Finbarr, the two great loves of her life. Despite her shifting personality and alliances, it is her devotion to her daughter that guides her through every aspect of her life and informs each decision that powers the novel.

Nan is the novel’s primary narrator, both of her own experiences and the experiences of others. This

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