Lies and Weddings

Eden is the protagonist of the novel; she is a young British woman of Chinese descent who lives in a small village and works as a physician with the National Health Service (NHS). Eden is calm, cool-headed, and practical. She is unfazed and generally impressed by the vast wealth she sometimes encounters due to her proximity to the Gresham family and has never felt jealous or resentful of their money. Eden has a strong sense of social justice and a desire to be of service to others; she often notices examples of inequality, and she aspires to help people (a value that plays out in her choice of profession). Eden is viewed as physically attractive but does not capitalize on this trait. Instead, she dresses simply, doesn’t wear much make-up, and wears her hair short so that she can focus her time on more practical matters. When she does pay more attention to her appearance, many people notice her physical beauty. Eden is also very caring and compassionate. She loves her father very much and feels affectionate toward the Gresham family even when she knows that they can be silly and self-absorbed.

Over the course of the novel, Eden becomes more confident, assertive, and willing to stand up for what she wants.