Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses the novel’s exploration of depression, stillbirth, substance misuse, eating disorders, and its brief mention of death by suicide.

The novel opens 16 years before the start of the rest of the novel, in the year 2000. Marilyn Sorenson is at the wedding of her eldest daughter, Wendy. As the mom of four daughters, she feels the responsibility for them keenly. Ordinarily Wendy gives her the most cause for concern, but today second-born Violet has been drinking too much. Meanwhile, her third daughter, Liza, is friendless, and her youngest daughter, Grace, is emotionally stunted. Marilyn takes comfort in her husband, David.

Wendy’s new husband, Miles, is a wealthy man, as are most of the guests. The Sorensons have money from Marilyn’s parents. Some people think Wendy married for money, but she and Miles know this is not the case.

Violet has to pick up her son, Wyatt, from preschool soon, but Wendy has summoned her for lunch. Violet realizes that Wendy has experienced the most trauma in the family, but she also knows that her sister likes drama. The last time Violet saw Wendy was at “Second Thanksgiving.” When Violet gets to the restaurant, she is initially hurt to see that her sister invited a man to join them, but she takes one look at the young man and realizes he is the child she gave up for adoption years earlier.