Donovan functions as the novel’s deuteragonist and a mentor figure for Samantha. He is a complex, round character driven by a deep-seated desire for vengeance against the coal industry that destroyed his family’s land and led to his mother’s death. His personal history, inextricably linked to the desecrated Gray Mountain, makes him a personification of the novel’s theme of Corporate Exploitation of Marginalized Communities. He is a brilliant and fearless trial lawyer who dedicates his life to suing coal companies, viewing the law as a weapon to be wielded against a powerful and corrupt enemy. His passion and commitment are inspiring, but they also lead him down a dangerous path. Donovan operates with a moral ambiguity that sets him apart from the more conventional idealism of his aunt, Mattie. He believes in fighting fire with fire, stating, “If they cheat, then I cheat. They play dirty, I get even dirtier. You gotta love justice” (156). This philosophy leads him to engage in reckless and legally questionable acts, such as the theft of incriminating documents from Krull Mining.

Donovan’s character is defined by his unyielding crusade. He is a tireless advocate for the victims of the coal industry, from the families displaced by strip-mining to the children killed by corporate negligence. However, this single-minded focus comes at a great personal cost. It contributes to the failure of his marriage, as his wife cannot handle the constant threats and danger that his work attracts. He lives under constant surveillance and carries firearms for protection, viewing his fight as a literal war. This isolation and perpetual conflict turn him into a tragic hero figure whose righteous quest consumes him entirely. To Samantha, he is an electrifying and enigmatic guide to the dark side of Appalachia, fundamentally altering her perception of the law and its purpose. Their relationship is a mix of professional mentorship and unresolved romantic tension, but his obsession with his work and his tragic end prevent any deeper connection from forming.

Donovan’s death in a mysterious plane crash solidifies his status as a martyr for his cause. It is strongly implied that he was murdered by one of his powerful corporate enemies, a testament to the danger inherent in his work. His death creates a power vacuum and leaves his most significant cases, particularly the lawsuits against Krull Mining and Casper Slate, in jeopardy. He leaves behind a legacy of fearless opposition but also a trail of unresolved conflicts and dangerous secrets. His character serves as a critique of a system where those who challenge corporate power face mortal peril, and his ultimate fate underscores the immense risks involved in fighting for justice against an amoral and violent industry.

Mattie is a mentor figure for Samantha and the moral center of the novel. As the founder and director of the Mountain Legal Aid Clinic, she is a static and round character who embodies unwavering dedication to social justice. Her motivation is deeply rooted in personal loss; her father, a coal miner, died a slow and agonizing death from black lung disease. This experience fuels her 26-year career of providing free legal services to the poor and marginalized residents of Appalachia. Mattie is pragmatic, compassionate, and fiercely protective of her clients. She understands the systemic injustices her community faces and attacks them with a combination of legal savvy and bulldog tenacity. Unlike her nephew Donovan, Mattie operates strictly within the ethical boundaries of the law, believing that it remains a powerful tool for the disenfranchised. She tells Samantha, “We’re not winning our little wars, Samantha, the enemy is too big and powerful. The best we can hope for is to chip away, one case at a time, trying to make a difference in the lives of our clients” (223). This philosophy represents a different, more sustainable form of resistance than Donovan’s all-out war.

Mattie’s role in the narrative is to guide Samantha’s professional and personal transformation. She provides Samantha with a new framework for understanding the law, one based on service rather than profit. Through Mattie’s example, Samantha learns that a lawyer’s value is determined by her willingness to advocate for those who cannot afford representation. Mattie’s relationship with Donovan is also central; she is a maternal figure who loves and admires him but also worries about his reckless methods. She serves as a grounding force in his life, even if he often ignores her advice. Mattie Wyatt represents the resilience and integrity of those who fight for justice without fanfare or financial reward.

Jeff is Donovan’s younger brother and a significant supporting character who becomes more central following Donovan’s death. He is a round character, sharing his brother’s tragic past but expressing his anger and grief through different, often more clandestine, means. While Donovan fought the coal companies in the courtroom, Jeff operates in the shadows. He serves as Donovan’s investigator, bodyguard, and operative, deeply involved in the more perilous aspects of his brother’s work, including the theft of the Krull Mining documents. His loyalty to Donovan is absolute, and after his brother’s murder, he is consumed by a desire for retribution. He tells Samantha, “I’m going to find these guys […] If it takes every dime I have and every dime I have to steal, I’ll track them down and get revenge” (267). This vow places him on a dangerous path, making him a target for both the coal companies and the FBI.

Jeff’s character also serves as a romantic interest for Samantha, offering a connection that is both alluring and fraught with risk. His life as a fugitive and his involvement in extremist activities, hinted at by his knowledge of military-grade sniper rifles and his role in acts of “ecoterrorism,” make a stable future with him impossible. He trusts Samantha with his most dangerous secrets, including the location of the stolen documents, which draws her deeper into his perilous world. Jeff represents a path of radical, extra-legal resistance. His decision to disappear and continue his fight from the margins contrasts with Samantha’s choice to work for change within the legal system. He is a product of the violence and injustice that has defined his life, a figure who believes that when the system fails, one must operate outside of it.

Marshall and Karen are Samantha’s divorced parents, each of whom plays an important role in her life. Marshall is Samantha’s estranged father and a minor, flat character who represents a third model of legal practice, distinct from both corporate law and social justice advocacy. Once a highly successful and aggressive plaintiffs’ lawyer specializing in aviation disasters, he made a fortune suing corporations before being convicted of financial crimes, disbarred, and imprisoned. Now operating as a consultant for litigation funders, he continues to view the law primarily as a lucrative business opportunity and opportunity to beat the wealthy at their game. He is proud of Samantha’s newfound interest in suing corporations, not for the sake of justice, but for the potential financial rewards. His attempts to reconnect with Samantha are intertwined with his desire to recruit her into his morally ambiguous business, revealing a man who has learned little from his downfall. He serves primarily as a narrative device to flesh out Samantha’s background and to highlight, by contrast, the non-monetary values she comes to embrace, while also providing contacts and advice on litigation funders that helps Donovan’s case.

Samantha’s mother, Karen, is also a lawyer, with the Department of Justice in Washington, DC. She has worked in the same department her entire career and doesn’t understand what Samantha is going through. Karen is a round, static character who provides personal support and comfort for Samantha, but her inability to understand her daughter’s professional position frustrates Samantha and limits their connection. Although she doesn’t have as much of a role in the novel as Marshall, like him, Karen also plays an important role in the plot—at Samantha’s request, she pulls some strings at work and gets the FBI to back off the investigation into Donovan that seems to be fueled by Krull Mining.

The coal companies—Lonerock Coal, Strayhorn Coal, Krull Mining—and their legal arm, the law firm Casper Slate, function as the novel’s collective antagonist. They are depicted as a faceless, amoral force driven solely by profit, making it fitting that they are never really represented by individuals in the novel. Their characterization is flat, representing systemic greed and the destructive power of unchecked corporate interests. Their actions are the source of the story’s primary conflicts: They destroy the environment through mountaintop removal, exploit their workers, leading to diseases like black lung, and endanger communities through reckless practices. Their legal tactics, as practiced by Casper Slate, involve bullying, concealing evidence, and manipulating the legal system to deny justice to victims. The companies are manifested in the communities they destroy by the menacing coal trucks that dominate the mountain roads, symbolizing their dangerous and unaccountable power. As a group, they embody the themes of The Disparity Between Corporate Law and Social Justice and Corporate Exploitation of Marginalized Communities, serving as the corrupt entity against which the protagonists must fight.