Unicorn
Right on the very first page, the narrator utilizes metaphor to describe an old friend. "Hollis Shaw is something of a unicorn." No explicit explanation is given for what this rather vague and relatively recently introduced metaphor means but it is notably followed by an extremely long paragraph providing connotative meaning. The narrator describes Hollis as a figure who definitely stands out from the rest of her group of longtime friends.
Nostalgia
A character named Brooke is asked about her fondest memories. “There was the golden age, the years our children were nine, ten, eleven. Fourth and fifth grade. Of course, you never realize it’s the golden age until it’s over.” The golden age is a metaphorical term that defines that sense of nostalgia for a past that seems more memorable in retrospect than it seemed while living through it. Brooke is describing a somewhat common phenomenon for parents of looking back wistfully on a certain point in the lives of their offspring.
A Place Called Nantucket
Hollis is describing a place called Nantucket. The narrator responds that "It sounds like a nightmare." The description is entirely non-metaphorical as Hollis explains how many miles wide and long it is, and how many miles off the coast it lies. and how it is filled with middle-class vacationers and the super-rich all summer. This figurative summing up of Hollis' version of Nantucket does little to provide into her state of mind but tells the reader quite a bit about the psychology of the narrator since there seems little that is nightmarish in what Hollis has told her.
Gigi's Accent
Hollis has fallen in love with the accent of a woman named Gigi Ling. "Her accent is like music; Hollis would be happy listening to her read the phone book." The accent is British, which even the narrator points out is very surprising considering her Chinese name. The comparison of her accent to the musical is not random. Throughout the book, there are specific references to bands and songs. Music plays a big role in the narration.
Not a Unicorn
Not everyone thinks of Hollis as a mythical creature of rareness and beauty. "Hollis is like a snake, Tatum thinks, shedding her old life as though it’s a skin she’s grown out of." This vision of Hollis as serpent-like provides a different perspective to the character while maintaining the integrity of her narrative. Both the unicorn and the snake comparisons allude to how Hollis has evolved over the years. It is less about Hollis and more about the perspective of the observer.
