Iris Elizabeth Winnow

Iris Elizabeth Winnow is the novel’s protagonist. She is a wartime correspondent for the Inkridden Tribune. Iris favors Enva in the war.

The war has tragic consequences for Iris’ family. First, her mother Aster dies of alcoholism, which she used to cope with Forest being in the war. Then, Forest suffered great injuries and was captured by Dacre. To make matters worse, Iris’ husband Roman is missing when the novel starts. The breakup of Iris’ family makes her especially reliant on friends like Attie, Sarah, and Tobias for support. Iris values community and is transparent with her loved ones about her schemes and plots.

Iris has a great affinity for writing. In fact, it is her literary prowess which initially attracted Roman to her. Iris uses writing as a means of coping during uncertain, dangerous times. As the novel progresses, however, Iris increasingly doubts the...