Though Charlotte Gibney is dead by the time Holly begins, her presence reverberates through the novel in Holly’s dreams and memories. Holly often hears her mother’s voice in her head, delivering advice and life lessons. Though she dismisses many of these sayings, one in particular anchors a key theme of the narrative.

In Chapter 16, Holly reveals that her late mother was fond of repeating, “what cannot be cured, must be endured” (145). This saying resonates throughout the novel as Holly and other characters face new and old traumas. Almost every character experiences a tragic event, from sexual assault to the loss of a family member. These traumas can’t be buried or ignored. The only thing survivors can do is endure and press on, finding ways to keep themselves sane and happy. Many of Holly’s characters do just that.

Emily and Rodney Harris attempt to subvert this motif by fighting against the natural processes of age and death. Rather than accepting the effects of aging like their peers, they attempt to reverse them via cannibalism. That they employ such cruel and violent means, and still fail, demonstrates the futility of trying to bypass every hardship in life.