▁that ▁Brown ▁would ▁feel ▁such ▁gu ilt ▁in ▁a ▁post - sex ual ▁revolution ▁world . ▁ ▁Syn opsis ▁ ▁The ▁story ▁is ▁set ▁during ▁Brown ' s ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁ad oles c ence ▁in ▁Ch âteau gu ay , ▁a ▁sub urb ▁of ▁Montreal . ▁ ▁Ch ester — " Ch et " ▁for ▁short — is ▁a ▁thin , ▁long - ha ired ▁te en ager ▁who ▁is ▁awk ward , ▁intro vert ed , ▁and ▁better ▁able ▁to ▁express ▁himself ▁through ▁drawing ▁than ▁speaking . ▁ ▁He ▁constantly ▁and ▁in exp lic ably ▁turns ▁away ▁girls , ▁even ▁though ▁he ▁is ▁interested ▁in ▁them ▁and ▁they ▁in ▁him . ▁Ex cept ▁in ▁his ▁imagination , ▁Ch et ▁has ▁difficulty ▁express ing ▁affection ▁even ▁for ▁his ▁mother . ▁ ▁She ▁tal ks ▁to ▁Ch et ▁and ▁his ▁younger ▁brother ▁G ord ▁about ▁issues ▁that ▁embar rass ▁them , ▁and ▁the ▁religious ▁teaching ▁she ▁has ▁inst illed ▁in ▁them ▁has ▁rendered ▁Ch et ▁unable ▁to ▁bring ▁himself ▁to ▁swe ar , ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁is ▁te ased ▁and ▁go aded ▁at ▁school . ▁ ▁Ch et ▁plays ▁games ▁such ▁as ▁hide - and - se ek ▁with ▁the ▁neighbourhood ▁children . ▁ ▁One ▁girl , ▁Car rie , ▁has ▁a ▁cr ush ▁on ▁Ch et ▁and ▁inv ites ▁him ▁to ▁her ▁house ▁each ▁day ▁to ▁was h ▁the ▁d ishes . ▁ ▁He ▁and ▁Car rie ' s ▁older ▁sister ▁Con nie , ▁a ▁b oss y ▁bl