Rooftoppers

Sophie, the protagonist of Rooftoppers, is a foundling whose parents and country of origin are a mystery at the beginning of the novel, which is set in Victorian London. The gangly, long-limbed Sophie is 12 years old throughout most of the narrative and sports a tangle of unmanageable hair “the color of lightning,” “untidy” eyes with flecks in them, and very pale skin (2). She feels proud of her unruly hair and fair skin, seeing them as a legacy of her “beautiful” mother, whom she claims to remember, even though she was separated from her by a shipwreck at the age of one. She also insists on wearing boys’ trousers instead of skirts, also due to a faint memory of her mother’s “cloth-covered legs”—another of the “stubborn certainties” she clings to. From an early age, Sophie has also had recurring memories of the sinking ship, which has given her an affinity for climbing, which makes her feel safe. In both London and Paris, she feels drawn to the cities’ rooftops, which is how she meets Matteo and the other “rooftoppers.”

Sophie is a “tomboy” who bridles at the traditionally frilly dresses and demure manners of Victorian femininity.