Funny and good-natured yet a mess of contradictions, Jacob is desperate to explore past the boundaries of his middle-class, suburban existence. Outwardly gregarious but inwardly insecure, Jacob seeks to feel as effortlessly comfortable with others as he does by himself.
Jacob’s long-distance girlfriend, whom he fell in love with the summer before. Though several states away, she maintains a powerful pull on Jacob’s sensibilities, desires and insecurities. The proud daughter of aging hippies, Sadie's rural upbringing puts her philosophically at odds with Jacob's conventional, suburban existence.
Unreserved and unapologetic in subjects of sex, drugs and vinyl records, Clara appeals to Jacob’s longing for danger. She smokes. She drinks. She sneaks onto construction sites. She regales a virginal Jacob with tales of sexual escapades. Clara is unafraid to tell Jacob what she really thinks, a character trait as socially refreshing as it is emotionally perilous.
The oldest member of a Russian immigrant family, Delia carries the weight of the world on her young shoulders. As thoughtful and funny as she is earnest and hardworking, Delia uses humor to carry the academic and economic challenges of being a working-class teenager.