Kenna Rowan

Kenna Rowan is one of the narrators and main characters in the novel. She accepted guilt for the death of her boyfriend in a car crash because she was driving when the crash happened. Kenna has just been released from jail after five years and hopes to meet her daughter, Diem, who was born while Kenna was in jail.

Hoover uses Kenna to illustrate that not all people who spend time in jail are bad people. Kenna wanted to be punished because she believed she was responsible for Scotty’s death. After she was released from jail, however, she carried a stigma because she had a felony on her record. It was difficult for her to find a job. She is also judged based on her record and not on her personality.

Kenna was in love with Scotty. She was devastated by the fatal crash. His family...