Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses sexual and physical violence, addiction, and racism against Indigenous people.

“Now there are so many Indians here, big families, good people, but also gangs, hookers, drug houses, and all these big, beautiful houses somehow sagging and tired like the old people who still live in them.”

The narrator introduces the setting of the novel as a seemingly lively neighborhood with undertones of injustice and violence. Due to living within a colonized system and culture, the community around the Break endures racism from the white population, so their neighborhoods tend to be overlooked by the governmental systems in place, such as the police.

“Kisses are supposed to be sweet […] They’re supposed to make you excited and happy, make you forget about everything and everyone. Everything comes before and after that one moment, Emily thinks, and it’s supposed to be perfect.”

Emily’s perception of the world at the beginning of the novel illustrates a naivety through her belief that a first kiss will alter the course of her existence. She has an excitement for life and mostly positive emotions surrounding her crushes like Clayton. vermette foreshadows how Emily’s perception of a “before and after” moment alters the way she perceives herself and the world after the sexual assault.

“I am trying to feel it. Like if I can just feel it then I can describe it, give it a name and a label and then deal with it. Hurt, angry, betrayed, unworthy.”

After Gabe leaves Lou, she struggles to identify her feelings regarding his infidelity and abandonment; by feeling and understanding her emotions, Lou believes that she will be able to move forward from the loss of her boyfriend. This moment signifies the need to heal, highlighting the theme of Intergenerational Trauma and the Importance of Healing.