Shred Sisters

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of mental illness, illness, and death.

As the younger and more reliable Shred sister, Amy assumes the role of first-person narrator, archiving the events of her and her family’s lives. She grows up in a materially privileged household, but her family struggles to confront (rather than ignore) and accept (rather than judge) her older sister Ollie’s mental illness. Olivia’s situation becomes the defining feature around which the family organizes itself and by which Amy measures herself. Even in her own narration, Amy’s story is often sidelined by her accounts of Olivia, just as she herself is frequently overshadowed by Ollie’s outsized presence.

In most ways, the Shred sisters are opposites, and Amy, as the younger sister, cannot help but define herself in comparison to Ollie. While Ollie is outgoing, “daring and reckless” (19), Amy is introverted and cautious, “too slow and methodical for Ollie” (6). Amy is told that she is honest to a fault, while Ollie lies with ease. Amy prides herself on her academic success, while Ollie mocks her studiousness. Finally, while Ollie’s unpredictable behavior dominates the family dynamics and decisions, Amy tries to maintain a low profile. She is silently obedient, and her opinions are rarely sought.