Pella Marsh

Pella Marsh is a 13-year-old girl and the novel’s point-of-view character. She is the daughter of Clement Marsh and Caitlin Marsh. She is the older sister of David and Raymond. When Caitlin, her father, and her brothers move to the Planet of the Archbuilders, she has difficulty overcoming her grief for her mother. She soon discovers that the planet’s viruses allow her to project her consciousness into the bodies of small indigenous animals known as household deer, and she uses this power often in order to escape her sense of self and to spy on various settlers.

Pella develops a general sense of antipathy, especially towards her father. Subconsciously, she irrationally blames her father for her mother’s death. Pella finds herself somewhat attracted to Efram Nugent, but then she discovers that he is responsible for the death of Truth Renowned. After Nugent continues in...