The Summer of the Swans

From the very beginning, protagonist Sara Godfrey is convinced her 14th summer is the worst. She becomes preoccupied with her own perceived imperfections, especially the physical. She constantly compares herself to her peers and older sister Wanda. She’s convinced that there’s nothing special about her, that she has no talents or skills, and frequently finds herself angry or in tears. Sara’s relationships with her family were once pleasant and without significant conflict, but are now grating and unsympathetic. Though Sara is not the narrator, readers are privy to her thoughts and opinions. As someone who tends to exaggerate, Sara’s assessment of her social standing may very well be unreliable.

Sara and her siblings are cared for by Aunt Willie, a woman she finds insufferable. As for her own charge, Sara expresses frustration with Charlie on a daily basis—albeit fueled by her own adolescent struggles rather than disdain. She treats everyone in her life similarly, but reserves at least a bit of patience for her brother. She has zero tolerance for slights against the younger, answering any and all with retaliation. Sara herself is troubled by the recent changes in her mood. She hates how she feels, the sense of powerlessness that pervades her new reality; this feeling prevents her from fully empathizing with other people.