What Happened To Rachel Riley?

Content Warning: This section discusses sexual harassment.

Anna is the narrator and protagonist of the book. She is 12 years old and is just starting eighth grade at a new middle school at the beginning of the book. Her family recently relocated to Madison, Wisconsin. She is an avid reader and loves listening to podcasts.

Although young for her class, Anna is intelligent and curious. She is not only intrigued by the stark difference in reception that Rachel Riley receives but also picks up on the fact that Rachel used to be popular, making her current social situation an anomaly. Once Anna begins to delve into the story of what happened to Rachel, she is quickly able to piece together clues and identify the people she ought to speak to. This displays her deductive skills.

Anna’s inherent sense of justice also fuels her investigation into Rachel’s story. She cares deeply about Rachel’s situation despite not having a particular friendship with Rachel and being entirely new to the middle school. Anna reflects on how this is because she cannot stand by and watch something happen that she believes is not right. Her sense of justice further heightens when she learns about the “game” and how Rachel has been ostracized for trying to stop something problematic.