Force of Nature

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying, addiction, and disordered eating. 

Aaron Falk is a federal agent whose solitary, taciturn nature prevents him from maintaining romantic relationships, and he fully admits that his last breakup was his fault. He does not feel comfortable with forming meaningful friendships, and he is far more dedicated to his job than to his social life, deriving his identity primarily from his role as a law enforcement officer. His isolationist nature marks him as an archetypal investigator-protagonist—a classic figure in the genre of crime fiction. 

A key aspect of his character development comes from his regrets about his difficult relationship with his late father. As an adult, he never saw “eye to eye” with his father (81). Their break occurred when Aaron’s father moved the two from a rural area into the city and the young Aaron struggled to adjust. When the novel begins, Aaron is attempting to come to terms with his father’s death, and he now feels a profound sense of loss and grief. In this, his character is also representative of others in the genre, for many protagonists in crime narratives struggle with barely managed grief and are haunted by the loss of loved ones.