Beautiful Venom

Dahlia Thorne is the protagonist of the novel and one of the first-person narrators. The chapters titled with her first name are written from her perspective and depict episodes from her storyline.

In the narrative present, Dahlia is attending college at Graystone University, where she is pursuing a degree in medicine. Dahlia is a driven, self-motivated character, determined to devote her life to helping others. She has worked hard to get where she is and overcome numerous obstacles to establish the life she wants.

Dahlia was “born in Maine and grew up in New Jersey” (21). When she was six years old, her parents died in a car accident in Maine. Dahlia was in the car and has blamed herself for her parents’ deaths ever since. She spent the majority of her childhood in the foster care system, moving from one abusive family to the next until she met and bonded with her foster sister Violet, with whom she has maintained a close relationship. Dahlia has always relied on Violet for a sense of security, and she defines family according to her sister. While Dahlia’s trauma has defined much of her life, her and Violet’s sororal connection is also a primary facet of Dahlia’s identity.