Dev

Dev is one of the novel’s two protagonists. His character is used to explore the themes of passivity, vulnerability, and the destructive power of trauma. Dev lives a reclusive and stagnant life, overwhelmed by his past and the weight of his emotional and psychological struggles. His mother’s death has left him in a state of inertia, where he lacks the motivation or strength to reclaim his life. This loss, coupled with the absence of his father due to mental health issues, reinforces Dev’s isolation and sense of helplessness.

Throughout the novel, Dev’s passivity is a defining characteristic. He allows Gabe and Sketch, the Ferdia brothers, to use his house for their drug operations, not because he wants to be involved in crime, but because he lacks the resolve to resist or change his situation. His complicity is driven more by fear and a sense...