Cady introduces us to her family, the Sinclairs, who are "athletic, tall, and handsome" (3). She describes them as people who, despite the fact that things are going very wrong, pretend otherwise. Divorces may shred families and trust funds may disappear, but the Sinclairs still pretend to have no problems and to be "normal." As Cady puts it, "We are Sinclairs. No one is needy. No one is wrong" (3).

Cady describes herself as someone who "used to be strong, but now [she is] weak" (4). She likes to play with words. She says she "suffers" from migraines, but does not "suffer fools" (4). We learn that her father left her mother suddenly and moved away. Despite the pain of the family break-up, Cady's mother tells her she must appear "normal." She tells Cady, "Don't cause a scene" (6).

Cady describes the Sinclair family in more detail. They are rich and famous, and the daughters (Cady's mother and her aunts) have been groomed for success. They are "sunburnt and blessed" (6). Cady calls them "princesses in a fairy tale" (7). Granddad and Tipper have trouble deciding which they love best, an issue that will bedevil the family later, as the sisters compete for the family property.