Sorrow and Bliss

Martha Friel is the protagonist and narrator of the book. As the book begins, she is 41, and the narrative covers the major events of her life until the present time, focusing on her mental health and her relationship with the people in her life, especially Patrick Friel. Martha is the older of two sisters; her close circle includes her immediate family, her maternal aunt Winsome and her family, with whom Martha spends Christmas, and Patrick, her cousin Oliver’s friend whom Martha marries.

A defining aspect of Martha’s character is her mental illness; however, it’s important to note that this is a function of Martha as the narrator centering this aspect of her life and viewing herself primarily through this lens. She doesn’t offer too much detail about her life prior to when she turns 17, which is when she has her first mental health crisis. Subsequently, she describes her interactions with the people around her and her reactions to situations vis-à-vis her condition. What comes through most in the process is Martha’s tendency to self-isolate; she does not speak of any friends outside of her inner circle, for instance, and even with her family, she slowly begins to withdraw over time.