There was a lot in this section to take in. But what struck me the most was how little of Lucy’s rape we are actually told about. In contrast to David’s relations with Melanie – which we are, for the most part, privy to – the revelation of Lucy’s rape goes by so quickly that I almost didn’t catch it. Like most atrocities, it happened so fast that we, as readers, like David and Lucy, are struggling to keep up with processing it.

I find it interesting that David is so ready and willing to spring to Lucy’s defense – and yet he never seems to be introspective enough to think to himself, hey, I’m on the other side of things here. It’s weird.

I’m also intrigued by Lucy’s reaction to what has happened to David. Whereas he takes one look at her and wants to cry, “She does not stir a finger to soothe him” (98). She seems entirely unsurprised by the whole ordeal. I know she’s just been through something really traumatic, but she doesn’t seem really worried about the fact that her dad got set on fire. Did she expect the attack to happen at some point, in some sad, resigned way? Did she think she might be attacked someday because of people assuming she’s a lesbian? (We never really get confirmation one way or the other, just David’s musings, but rumors travel fast; who knows.) Or did she think people would catch wind of what her father did and knew that their home might be a potential target, but took him in anyway? All things to think about…