Where's Molly

Content Warning: This novel includes graphic violence, murder, sexual assault, sexual abuse, and drug overdose.

Molly’s body is covered in bitemark-shaped scars, with one distinctive scar placed just below her eye. These scars are the result of Raymond, her father, sexually assaulting her as a child. The scars are a physical manifestation of that moment of abuse, but they also serve as a symbol for the trauma that Molly has experienced throughout her life. Beyond the origin of the scars, they represent the traumatic childhood Molly experienced, as well as the struggle she faced in trying to save Layla from the same fate. The scars, as a manifestation of her father’s violence, likewise highlight the betrayal that Molly faced when Raymond sold her into trafficking, as well as the subsequent abuses Molly endured in Francesca’s house. All of Molly’s trauma and suffering is encapsulated in the scars, which keep her from hiding her identity and her past from others.

At the same time, Cage refers to the scar on Molly’s face as “a testament to the horrors she survived” (65), emphasizing the fact that Molly has endured these traumas, coming out of them stronger, if less trusting. Following this observation, Molly’s scars, though reminders of her traumatic past, also show her strength and endurance.