It Starts with Us

A young single mother and a survivor of domestic violence, Lily Bloom struggles to balance her newfound independence with her dedication to coparenting amicably with her abusive ex-husband, Ryle. Fearful of Ryle’s emotional outbursts, Lily faces a crossroads when he encounters her long-lost childhood love, Atlas Corrigan. Due to her abuse and childhood trauma, Lily struggles to trust men until she reconnects with Atlas. Through her relationship with Atlas, Lily also learns to trust herself and recovers from the guilt that follows her after her divorce.

Despite the abuse she suffered in her marriage to Ryle, Lily still carries guilt over her decision to divorce him and limit his interactions with their young daughter as a means of protecting her daughter from the abuse she escaped. Desperate to keep the peace with Ryle, Lily resigns herself to a life devoid of love for over a year until Atlas’s arrival reminds her of their deep, passionate connection. Unable to resist her deep connection with Atlas, Lily starts to recognize Ryle’s inability to take accountability for his actions and his attempts to control Lily even after the dissolution of their marriage. As she begins to trust Atlas more and share her struggles with him, Lily comes to understand the effect her abusive childhood and marriage have had on her. She no longer doubts herself and does not hide her relationship with Atlas even at the risk of increased tension because of Ryle’s deep-rooted jealousy. As she learns to trust in her power as a mother and as a woman, Lily experiences a stability and comfort in her relationship with Atlas that offers them the promise of a hopeful future.

A successful surgeon, Ryle Kincaid is the novel’s antagonist. He struggles to accept the personal boundaries established by his ex-wife, Lily Bloom. Hopeful that he and Lily will reunite, Ryle does not take ownership of his abuse of Lily, and his lack of accountability and extreme jealousy threaten to upend Lily’s potential happiness. Ultimately, Ryle’s unwillingness to change pushes Lily to live for herself and pursue a relationship with Atlas.

Although Ryle abides by Lily’s stringent restrictions on his time with Lily as a means of appeasing her during the first year of Emerson’s life, he grows increasingly frustrated by Lily’s unwillingness to allow him complete custody of Emerson during his allotted time with her. Ryle’s lack of boundaries and his run-in with Atlas compel Lily to take action to begin living an independent life. A static character who undergoes little to no change, Ryle serves as the major creator of conflict throughout the novel. His intransigence drives Lily to focus solely on her and Emerson’s happiness and make a better life for herself.

The younger brother of Atlas, Josh reappears in Atlas’s life unexpectedly and, in doing so, reminds Atlas of his own childhood. As a survivor of the same domestic violence and neglect Atlas suffered during his childhood, Josh provides Atlas with the family unit he has desired since he was a child. Through Atlas’s adoption of Josh, both brothers heal from their childhood trauma and start new lives filled with stability and love.

Josh represents Atlas in childhood. A foil for Atlas as a child, Josh reminds Atlas of the trauma and abuse that characterized his youth. Even before learning that Josh is the vandal and his brother, Atlas feels drawn to the mysterious figure who destroys his property night after night, foreshadowing his and Josh’s eventual reunion: Upon viewing the tapes of Josh vandalizing his property and stealing food, Atlas remarks, “I know that kind of desperation firsthand” (3). As he learns more about Josh, he notes how much “Josh reminds me a lot of myself” (279). Their shared trauma at the hands of their neglectful mother bonds Atlas and Josh together. Through his relationship with Josh, Atlas learns what he needed as a child and provides that for Josh by allowing Josh the space to explore his own relationship with his father and by shielding him for further abuse at the hands of their mother. Rather than attempting to control Josh by restricting him from attempting to contact his father, Atlas respects Josh’s conflicting feelings towards his estranged father and offers Josh the care that Atlas never received himself. By caring for and protecting Josh, Atlas gains a newfound hope for the future and a confidence in his ability to navigate his trauma.

The young son of Atlas’s employee and friend Brad, Theo counsels Atlas throughout the novel as he navigates his new relationship with Lily. Precocious and opinionated, Theo does not hold back in expressing his thoughts on Atlas’s relationship with Lily and serves as a surrogate younger brother and son to Atlas. When Theo confides in Atlas about his sexual orientation, Atlas practices his parenting skills and offers Theo the care and reassurance he never received as a child.

Through his interactions with Theo, Atlas unknowingly prepares himself for his union with Josh. After Theo’s revelation, Atlas immediately proclaims, “I want to make sure to treat that with the care it deserves. I want him to know he has an ally in me” (45-46). This protective instinct transfers to Josh when he enters Atlas’s life. As he attends the same school as Josh and befriends him, Theo plays an instrumental part in building a bridge between Atlas and Josh that allows them to grow closer. As Atlas’s unofficial therapist, Theo similarly helps Atlas restore his connection with Lily by encouraging Atlas to reach out to Lily in the days following their reunion on the street. Theo is, therefore, a catalyst character: Without Theo’s intervention, Atlas and Lily may have never rekindled their relationship.

As Ryle’s older sister and as Lily’s best friend, Allysa Kincaid grapples with balancing her relationship with Ryle and with Lily. Throughout the novel, she offers Lily an open ear to express her frustrations with Ryle’s temper and her fears regarding her relationship with Atlas. As a young mother and a woman, Allysa offers Lily a support system that allows her to stay firm in her boundaries with Ryle and to pursue a relationship with Atlas.

Despite her wishes for Lily and Ryle to remain married, Allysa acknowledges her brother’s abuse and makes no excuses for it. She holds Ryle accountable and often serves as a safe space for both Ryle and Lily to work out their contentious custody arrangement. Her apartment allows Ryle access to his daughter Emerson while also protecting Lily and Emerson from the potential harm that Ryle could subject them to in his fits of anger. As Lily’s best friend, Allysa comforts and supports Lily as she slowly begins to open herself up to a relationship with Atlas. She babysits Emerson and allows Lily the opportunity to pursue her independence as a single mother. Without the support of Allysa, Lily would face insurmountable difficulties to escape Ryle’s abuse, follow her dreams of business ownership, and revive her relationship with Atlas.