Does It Hurt?

Content Warning: This section of the guide describes and discusses the novel’s treatment of rape, sexual assault, incest, pedophilia, and situations of dubious consent.

Sawyer Bennett begins the narrative by fleeing legal prosecution for killing her twin brother, Kevin, who had sexually abused her since childhood. Sawyer survived in the United States by stealing men’s identities, opening credit cards in their names, and stealing only as much as she needed. Though Sawyer’s internal moral dilemma regarding the crimes she commits dominates the narrative, her actions are ultimately understandable with the inclusion of the abuse Kevin subjected her to. She killed Kevin to protect herself from his assault, and she only steals as much as is necessary to live, rather than bankrupting the men from whom she steals. The gray area of Sawyer’s morality is exacerbated by her trauma, which convinces her that she is worthless and evil, and her journey throughout the novel shows the struggle to overcome her past.

Sawyer is the protagonist of the novel, with more chapters dedicated to her perspective than Enzo’s. This follows Carlton’s tradition of using a “duet” format for her books. Unlike a typical hero protagonist, Sawyer’s conflict centers on survival.