Out on a Limb

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of illness, death, death by suicide, ableism, and mental illness. 

Win is the protagonist and first-person narrator of the novel. She is 28 at the time the story begin, is the only daughter of June McNulty, and lives in southern Ontario, Canada. June became pregnant as a teenager and raised Win as a single mother alongside her friend Marcie, who also had a young daughter, Sarah. Sarah has been Win’s best friend her whole life. When Sarah met and fell in love with Caleb during high school and then married him soon after, Win developed a strong friendship with them both. Their friendship is full of humor, understanding, reliance, and emotional support.

Win has shoulder-length, wavy, black hair and blue eyes. She wears a gold piercing in her left nostril. Win was born with a right hand that is not as developed as her left, with smaller fingers that curl inward. While it can sometimes be difficult to grip things or perform two-handed tasks like braiding her hair, Win is resourceful and has figured out how to do things in her own way, like carrying heavy items. She is in good physical shape and enjoys swimming, and she works as a lifeguard during the summers to earn extra money.