The novel’s protagonist, Coley, is partly defined by the recent death of her mother by suicide, a tragedy that frames her emotional journey and looms over the various relationships she fosters in her new town. Her experience reflects the unique challenges faced by adolescents bereaved by suicide. 

Research from institutions such as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention shows that survivors of suicide loss, particularly children, often grapple with a complex form of grief (“Children, Teens and Suicide Loss.” American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). This grief is frequently marked by intense feelings of guilt, abandonment, self-blame, and social stigma, all of which Coley exhibits. She fixates on the idea that she could have prevented her mother’s death had she not missed her usual bus, a common manifestation of survivor’s guilt. Her anger toward her estranged father, Curtis, is also a projection of the abandonment and confusion she feels in the wake of her mother’s death. 

Studies on adolescent bereavement indicate that losing a parent to suicide can increase the risk for mental-health challenges, including depression and post-traumatic stress (Tal Young, Ilanit, et al. “Suicide Bereavement and Complicated Grief.” Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, vol. 14, no. 2, 2012, pp. 177-86). Coley’s guarded nature, her difficulty trusting others, and her initial belief that she’s unworthy of love are all psychologically coherent responses to her traumatic loss. The novel uses her budding relationships with Sonya and Curtis as catalysts for confronting this grief. Her romance with Sonya forces her to risk emotional vulnerability, while her reconnection with Curtis makes her face long-buried feelings about family and abandonment. Coley’s path to healing is thus inextricably linked to her ability to form new, healthy attachments after her foundational one was traumatically broken.