Sadie is the protagonist and the dominant narrative voice among the four narrators that appear in the novel. She is presented from the start as an introverted and troubled woman who does not have the easy charm of her husband, Will. Very little physical description is given about her except in contrast to Camille, who is described as physically superior to her alter in every way. Sadie’s suffering at the beginning of the story seems to be caused by her husband’s affair and her son Otto’s bullying at his previous school, which led him to bring a knife to campus. In addition to these troubles is the behavior of her niece, Imogen, whose dark nature affects Sadie. Sadie can be seen as a strong, modern woman who is willing to fight to protect her family and is the main breadwinner in her marriage.

Sadie is also a vulnerable and at times paranoid person who deals with trauma, jealousy, and ambiguity. She has serious memory lapses that lead to lost periods of time that sometimes result in bizarre and even violent behavior. She is unable throughout much of the novel to acknowledge her serious personal issues and mental-health condition, preferring instead to blame others for things she cannot remember having done or said.