Maurice Hannigan

Maurice Hannigan is the main character and narrator of the novel. He is the husband of Sadie and the father of Molly and Kevin. Maurice is a flawed hero. He is a complex character who has done both good and evil in his life. His night of toasts is about coming to terms with the high and low points in his life.

As a teenager, Maurice was deeply impacted by the death of his older brother, Tony, whom Maurice idolized. Maurice credits Tony with encouraging him when others did not and shaping him into the man he became. Another critical part of Maurice’s childhood was his failure at school. Maurice believed he was dumb because he could not read. He did not learn until he was an adult that he had dyslexia.

Maurice bears a scar on his face that is a constant reminder of bad...