Daisy Haites

Daisy Haites, Hastings’s protagonist, is one of three first-person narrators in the novel. In the narrative present, Daisy is 20 years old and lives in London, England, with her older brother Julian. The Haites are a mafia family. When Daisy was eight years old, both of her parents were murdered. Julian protected her and immediately assumed the role of her pseudo-parental figure. Ever since, Daisy has relied on him for a sense of safety and security. At the same time, Daisy feels frustrated by Julian’s obsessive control over her life. She loves Julian but wishes he would trust her to make her own decisions and carve her own path toward her future. Daisy also disagrees with many of Julian’s criminal endeavors. She understands this is his way of life, but fears that he’ll commit moral sins and jeopardize their relationship and future.

Daisy is a thoughtful, interrogative character who feels trapped in her family’s legacy and longs to live a life that’s meaningful to her. Her character arc centers on her Struggle for Personal Autonomy. She is attending medical school in the narrative present, which establishes her desire to help instead of hurt others.