Spectacular Things

Kristine Lowe, who goes by Cricket, is one of the novel’s two protagonists. The younger sister of Mia and the daughter of Liz, Cricket is characterized by traits she inherits from her mother: energy, passion, strength, and humor.

Cricket is a remarkably gifted soccer player who dreams of playing professionally for the US Women’s National Team. She pairs her natural talent with an utter devotion to the sport and profound levels of self-discipline. Cricket’s motivations are shaped by her mother’s unrealized soccer dreams and by the words on a real-life world class long-distance runner Steve Prefontaine poster: “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift” (61), a motto that encapsulates What the Pursuit of Greatness Requires.

As Liz and Mia make sacrifices to support Cricket’s ambitious dreams, Cricket is further motivated to earn their sacrifices by succeeding in their shared vision for her. When she’s grieving her mother’s death, Liz’s spirit joins Cricket on the field and motivates her to keep going in an example of The Profound Bond Between Mothers, Daughters, and Sisters.

The early stage of Cricket’s character arc is marked by a naive belief that with visualization and enough effort, she can control the path her future takes.