Such a Fun Age Character Analysis

Emira Tucker

The protagonist, Emira Tucker is a young Black woman and recent college graduate who feels aimless and inadequately prepared for adulthood. To support herself, Emira works part-time as a transcriptionist for the Philadelphia Green Party… read analysis of Emira Tucker

Alix Chamberlain/Alex Murphy

Alix Chamberlain (formerly Alex Murphy) is a wealthy, white businesswoman/social media influencer. She is married to Peter Chamberlain, and the couple has two young daughters, Briar and Catherine. When Alix was in her… read analysis of Alix Chamberlain/Alex Murphy

Kelley Copeland

Kelley Copeland is Emira’s current boyfriend and Alix Chamberlain’s ex-boyfriend. Alix resents Kelley for their traumatic breakup. In high school, Alix wrote an embarrassing love letter to Kelley to invite him to her… read analysis of Kelley Copeland

Briar Chamberlain

Briar Chamberlain is Alix’s young daughter—she’s two years old when the novel begins, but she celebrates her third birthday later on. Briar is a sensitive, intelligent, and inquisitive child who is constantly asking questions… read analysis of Briar Chamberlain

Zara

Zara is Emira’s best friend. She’s confident and outspoken. Zara is a nurse—a longtime dream of hers—and though she’s always known what she’s wanted to do with her life, she doesn’t judge Emira for… read analysis of Zara

Peter Chamberlain

Peter Chamberlain is Alix’s husband. He is a news anchor for a local Philadelphia station. Peter often expresses his support for Alix in her business pursuits—and it does seem that he genuinely believes in… read analysis of Peter Chamberlain

Tamra

Tamra is one of Alix’s best friends. Like all the women in Alix’s Manhattan friend group, Tamra is a smart, confident, and snarky woman with children and a successful career. Tamra is the principal… read analysis of Tamra

Rachel

Rachel is one of Alix’s best friends. Like all the women in Alix’s Manhattan friend group, Rachel is a smart, confident, and snarky woman who balances motherhood with a successful career. Rachel manages a… read analysis of Rachel

Jodi

Jodi is one of Alix’s best friends. Alix met Jodi in the waiting room at Briar’s four-month checkup, and Jodi introduced her to Tamra and Rachel, who quickly welcomed Alix into their… read analysis of Jodi

Robbie Cormier

Robbie Cormier is a Black student who attended Beacon Smith High School with Alix and Kelley in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In high school, Robbie was a star athlete, and he was also funny, attractive, and popular… read analysis of Robbie Cormier

Laney Thacker

Laney Thacker is Peter Chamberlain’s co-anchor at the news station. She has a four-year-old daughter, Bella, who is cute, graceful, and quiet—the exact opposite of Briar. Laney is a kind and supportive… read analysis of Laney Thacker

Claudette

Claudette was the Black housekeeper and caregiver the Murphys, Alix’s parents, hired to do housekeeping and care for Alix and Alix’s younger sister, Betheny. When Alix (then Alex) calls the police on… read analysis of Claudette

Shaunie

Shaunie is one of Emira’s friends. She is roommates with Josefa. She is successful in her career and earns a promotion to associate marketing specialist at Sony Philadelphia midway through the novel. Above… read analysis of Shaunie

Josefa

Josefa is one of Emira’s friends. She’s roommates with Shaunie. People refer to their apartment as “Shaunie’s” place—Shaunie, whose parents are wealthy and support her financially, has furnished much of the place—but Josefa… read analysis of Josefa

Catherine Chamberlain

Catherine Chamberlain is Alix and Peter’s infant daughter—and she’s clearly Alix’s favorite child: while Alix takes Catherine everywhere with her, she hires Emira to care for Briar. Still, Alix seems to view Catherine… read analysis of Catherine Chamberlain

Beverly

Beverly is Emira’s boss at the Philadelphia Green Party, where Emira works as a transcriptionist. After the video footage of the Market Depot incident leaks, Beverly (and many other potential employers) reach out to… read analysis of Beverly

The Murphys

The Murphys are Alix’s parents. When Alix was in high school, her parents came into a large sum of money after successfully suing a funeral home for accidentally cremating (rather than burying) Grandma and… read analysis of The Murphys

Paula Christi

Paula Christi is the regional director of the U.S. Census Bureau. Emira becomes Paula’s administrative assistant only weeks after she quits working for the Chamberlains. Paula is a fair, approachable boss, and Emira enjoys working… read analysis of Paula Christi

The Woman with Short Gray Hair

Emira encounters the woman with short gray hair at Market Depot the night a security guard accuses Emira of kidnapping Briar Chamberlain. It’s this woman who reports Emira to the security guard—she claims that she… read analysis of The Woman with Short Gray Hair

The Security Guard

In response to a racist complaint the woman with short gray hair makes, the security guard confronts Emira and Briar at Market Depot, an upscale grocery store, and accuses Emira of kidnapping Briar. Though Emira… read analysis of The Security Guard

Minor Characters

Maura

Maura is Alix’s editor. Though patient with Alix at first, Maura eventually threatens to change Alix’s contract if Alix continues to ignore her emails and fail to meet deadlines.

Betheny

Betheny is Alix’s younger sister. When Alix calls the police on Robbie Cormier and his friends, she claims that it’s to protect Betheny and Claudette, but this is really just an excuse she’s come up with to justify her actions.

Mr. Tucker

Mr. Tucker is Emira’s father. He keeps bees. Emira feels inadequate and aimless compared to the rest of her family, who share “a proclivity toward craftsmanship.”

Mrs. Tucker

Mrs. Tucker is Emira’s mother. She’s a book binder. Emira feels inadequate and aimless compared to the rest of her family, who share “a proclivity toward craftsmanship.”

Alfie Tucker

Alfie Tucker is Emira’s 21-year-old brother. He won second place in the 2013 National Latte Art Competition and now apprentices at a roastery in Austin, Texas. Emira feels inadequate and aimless compared to the rest of her family, who share “a proclivity toward craftsmanship.”

Justyne Tucker

Justyne Tucker is Emira’s 19-year-old sister. She sews and sells clothing and also has a job designing costumes for a community college’s theatrical productions. Emira feels inadequate and aimless compared to the rest of her family, who share “a proclivity toward craftsmanship.”

Bella Thacker

Bella Thacker is the four-year-old daughter of Laney Thacker. She’s cute and quiet and graceful—the opposite of Briar (in Alix’s opinion), and Alix seems to envy Laney because of this, contributing to her overall dislike of Laney.

Imani

Imani is one of Tamra’s young daughters.

Cleo

Cleo is one of Tamra’s young daughters.

Prudence

Prudence is Jodi’s four-and-a-half-year-old daughter.

Payne

Payne is Jodi’s one-year-old son.

Walter

Walter is Jodi’s husband.

Hudson

Hudson is Rachel’s young son.

Suzanne

Suzanne is a friend of Laney’s who accompanies Laney to a get-together at Alix’s house.

Ramona

Ramona is a friend of Laney’s who accompanies Laney to a get-together at Alix’s house.

Troy

Troy is Shaunie’s boyfriend. All of Shaunie’s friends dislike Troy but put up with him for Shaunie’s sake.

Such a Fun Age

Kiley Reid

Such a Fun Age Characters