Stela

Stela is one of the main characters of the novel. She grows up with her mother, Mermaid, and her unnamed stepfather. Though the man she calls her dad is not her biological father, he is the only paternal figure Stela has ever known. Indeed, they share a deep connection from Stela's infancy on.

Throughout her youth, Stela often feels isolated and alone. She is, therefore, grateful for her friendship with a boy named Johann. For some time she wonders about their connection because she is Black and Johann is white. With time, however, she grows to rely upon their friendship and growing intimacy for a sense of safety and security. As children, she and Johann spend most of their time jumping off of rocks and swimming together. Over the years, their relationship deepens and grows. When Stela is only a sophomore in college, Johann proposes and she accepts...