Maria Echota

Maria Echota is a Cherokee woman in her early seventies. She is one of the novel’s four narrators. She is married to Ernest Echota, and she is the mother of Sonja, Edgar, and Ray-Ray. Maria was emotionally devastated when her son Ray-Ray was murdered by a police officer 15 years ago. Her other two children are now adults. Maria lives with her husband Ernest, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Maria’s downtrodden spirits are buoyed when she and Ernest take in a foster child, Wyatt, who reminds them of Ray-Ray. While taking care of Wyatt, Maria hopes that her children will come home for the annual bonfire in Ray-Ray’s memory.

Ernest Echota

Ernest Echota is a Cherokee man. He is the husband of Maria Echota and the father of Sonja, Edgar, and Ray-Ray. Ernest was emotionally devastated when Ray-Ray was murdered by a police officer...