The novel’s title serves as a motif throughout the narrative, illustrating The Complexity of Family Dynamics. Chloe initially presents herself as the “better sister,” emphasizing the apparent perfection of her life compared to the chaotic trajectory of her older sister, Nicky. Chloe implies that the contrast between them lies in both personality traits and life choices. She suggests that Nicky’s recklessness and self-destructive streak inevitably led to her losing custody of Ethan. Meanwhile, she attributes her own success to discipline, careful planning, and positive life choices. Ironically, both siblings become emotionally invested in the idea that Chloe is the better sister. For Chloe, this narrative justifies her betrayal of Nicky and her decision to raise her son. For Nicky, it allows her to believe that Chloe provides Ethan with a better life than she ever could.

As the story progresses, Burke reveals how the characters’ roles as “good” and “bad” sisters were cemented in their childhood. Chloe’s acquisition of Nicky’s room, which was spacious enough for a desk, marked the point where the younger sister was defined as studious and ambitious, while her older sibling was labelled a college dropout. The incident conveyed the unspoken message that Chloe was destined for a brilliant future, while Nicky was doomed to failure, and these opposing identities became a self-fulfilling prophecy. From the outset of the novel, Chloe’s narrative illustrates that despite years of estrangement, her perception of Nicky as the “bad” sister remains ingrained. For example, the arrival of the man who helped Nicky with her bags at the airport prompts Chloe to immediately categorize him as another of her sister’s unsuitable boyfriends. Chloe’s persistently negative perception of her sister, despite evidence that she has changed, demonstrates how, once established, familial labels that define one’s identity can be impossible to shake off.

Ultimately, in the wake of Adam’s death, Chloe and Nicky are forced to question whether Chloe really is the “better sister.” The disclosure that Chloe was having an affair undermines the moral high ground she adopts in relation to Nicky. Furthermore, the revelation that Chloe has been concealing her husband’s abuse highlights the fallibility of her own life choices, as, like Nicky, she was taken in by Adam’s charming veneer. The secrets that emerge during Ethan’s trial also prompt Nicky to question whether her concept of Chloe as a “better” mother is justified. While Chloe leads Nicky to believe her son is being raised in “the perfect little family bubble” (199), Ethan’s testimony reveals the psychological scars of living in a household made toxic by Adam’s emotional and physical abuse. At the same time, Chloe’s assertion that her sister “was simply never meant to have” a child is undermined by Nicky’s fierce maternal love for Ethan and the discovery that Adam fabricated the incident that led to her custody loss (156). As circumstances prompt them to examine the nuances of identity beyond the concept of the “better sister,” Chloe and Nicky come to appreciate the damaging impact of such simplistic labels.