The Better Sister

“No chaos, no drama. Boring? To some people, sure. But I was convinced that routines and rituals were the key to both my happiness and my productivity.”

Chloe’s description of her disciplined routines conveys her drive and self-control, traits to which she attributes her success. The phrase, “No chaos, no drama,” positions the protagonist in direct contrast to her sister, Nicky, whom she associates with havoc and disorder. This statement highlights Chloe’s unreliability as a narrator, as the novel later reveals that her domestic life is filled with “drama” and her claim to happiness is unfounded.

“Every single Eve employee was expected to build and maintain an online presence consistent with the magazine’s branding efforts.”

Chloe explains how, as chief editor of Eve, she must curate a social media persona that reinforces the magazine’s promotion of female empowerment. The theme of Public Image Versus Private Truth is highlighted as Chloe feels pressured to conceal the aspects of her life that contradict her role as a feminist icon, committed to sisterhood and defying patriarchal oppression.

“He had never been one to chase riches or keep up with the Joneses. When he graduated from law school, he probably could have landed a job at a decent-sized firm in Cleveland, earning a six-figure salary, but he wanted to be a prosecutor. Being on the side of justice was part of Adam’s identity. He told me once that it was his way of assuring himself he was nothing like his father, who had gone to prison a few times, but not for the crimes he was committing against his own wife and son when he wasn’t locked up.”

Chloe outlines how her husband’s identity is inextricably linked to the law. The satisfaction and sense of self-worth he gained in his role as a federal prosecutor sprang from his helping to deliver justice. The description of Adam valuing justice above material gain suggests he has a strong moral compass, developed in opposition to his father’s criminality.