The main character, Rachel, has bi-racial parents. Part of her story is learning how she fits into the world. Rachel spends the first ten years of her life living in Germany where race is not an issue. Her parents, Nella and Roger, have never had expectations of her leaning toward either the black or white culture. When Rachel gets to the United States, she is faced with racial expectations at home and at school and she does not understand what she should do.

At school, Rachel becomes even more confused. It seems every student has a label – either black or white. Rachel does not know how to define herself. She says, “I learn that black people don’t have blue eyes. I learn that I am black. I have blue eyes. I put all these facts into the new girl.” The black girls do not like Rachel because they think her behavior and her speech is superior. Rachel’s confusion leads her to seek acceptance and approval by turning to boys who make her feel physically good inside.

Unfortunately, the people in Rachel’s life who do not judge her or label her end up leaving her – her mother, her father, and then Aunt Loretta. Luckily, Drew stays around and provides some of the guidance and acceptance Rachel needs. Drew also provides a link to Brick who gives Rachel some of the answers to her questions about who she is.

Rachel and Brick are both survivors. Brick endured a childhood with a largely absent mother who rarely demonstrated love or affection. When he ran away, he depended on the kindness of others. Brick finally made his way to Portland, where he held down a job and defeated his drug addiction. Brick helps Rachel see that she too is a survivor.

Rachel is a survivor in many ways. She is the sole survivor of the fall from the rooftop. Her survival is miraculous and ironic because she had hoped her jump would spare the life of her brother, Robbie. Instead, falling on his body is the reason she survives. But even more than the accident, Rachel survived the pain and loneliness of losing her entire family. Her grandmother provided a house, but it took some time for it to feel like a home where people cared for her. While growing up, Rachel felt that her life was hers to throw away; she could not see the reason for her survival. She did as she pleased and ignored any pull to conform to other’s expectations. It took “hitting bottom” for Rachel to release her pent up emotions and anger so she could move forward with living and preserve the memory of her family.

The novel also explores the idea of family love. Nella obviously loves her children very much. She will do anything for them. Her despair, and possibly her alcoholism, drive her to the only solution she believes will protect all of them from the cruelties of life. Rachel says, “On that day Mom had taken us up on the roof, she had calculated the difference between what we couldn’t have and her ability to watch us want. The difference between her pain and ours, she decided, measured nine stories high.” Rachel can see that her mother acted out of love even if it was difficult to accept her insanity.

In his own way, Roger also displays his love for Rachel when he chooses to leave her behind. He truly believes that he has made the best decision for Rachel’s well-being. He can see her sadness, but he cannot see...