We've included this passage because it's the first mention of Faye's age. This completely changes our perception of her: if we had known that she was seventeen right from the get-go, we'd have been a lot more critical of Tod's obsession. It's also worth noting that Faye looks even younger than she really is, which makes us think that her innocence only makes her more desirable in the eyes of lonely, lusty men.

Like father, like daughter. Faye conveniently leaves out a few facts: that her father was a clown, not a movie star, and that she's only been an extra in movies. Like her old man, however, Faye has a finely tuned ability to sell herself and throw circumstances and good taste to the wind. And it works like a charm.

Yeeesh, talk about commitment. Although we seriously doubt that Faye would commit suicide, the fact that she would drop this nugget so causally into conversation shows the extent of her desire for success. Man, this book makes us feel like we're taking crazy pills.