Lola in the Mirror

Trent Dalton

Lola in the Mirror

Trent Dalton
61 pages2-hour read
Fiction
Novel
Adult
Published in 2023

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

An unhoused teenage artist living in a scrapyard in Brisbane. She has spent her entire life on the run with her mother, lacking a formal name and struggling to understand her identity. Imaginative and resilient, she copes with her traumatic reality by viewing the world through an artistic lens, dreaming of a future art exhibition in New York, and seeking advice from a glamorous reflection in a magic mirror.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Erica Finlay

Best Friend of Charlie Mould

Romantic Interest of Danny Collins

Employee of Flora Box

Target of Brandon Box

Connected to Phoebe Gould

Creator of E.P. Buckle

Lola's mother, a former relief teacher who has lived on the run with her daughter for years. She carries immense guilt and trauma from a violent past, specifically an incident known as the Tyrannosaurus Waltz in which she fought her husband to survive. Despite their unstable living conditions in the scrapyard, she provides Lola with profound love, education, and artistic encouragement.

Key Relationships

Employee of Flora Box

Friend of Roslyn

Wife of Marcus Finlay

Lola's fiercely loyal best friend who also lives in the scrapyard. Abandoned as a baby, he struggles with severe alcoholism but maintains an incredibly optimistic outlook on life. He acts as a brotherly figure to Lola and is willing to do whatever it takes to support her in dangerous situations.

Key Relationships

Best Friend of Lola Inthemirror

Employee of Flora Box

A dangerous criminal mastermind who operates an illegal drug ring behind the facade of a seafood wholesaler. Despite her grandmotherly appearance, complete with gray hair, glasses, and white sneakers, she is a ruthless killer who will eliminate anyone who threatens her business or her control over her employees.

Key Relationships

Mother of Brandon Box

Employer of Lola Inthemirror

Employer of Erica Finlay

Employer of Ephraim Wall

Creditor of Samara Collins

Flora Box's son, a brutal and aggressive young man who works as a debt collector for his mother's criminal enterprise. He uses his physical strength to assert dominance and takes pleasure in exuding cruelty toward others, making him a constant source of fear for Lola.

Key Relationships

Son of Flora Box

Antagonist of Lola Inthemirror

A talented artist and romantic from the wealthy neighborhood of Hamilton Hill. He possesses a keen eye for noticing things others overlook and boldly speaks his mind. His genuine, confident nature and artistic connection offer Lola a glimpse of hope and a feeling of finally being seen.

Key Relationships

Romantic Interest of Lola Inthemirror

Brother of Samara Collins

A dedicated police officer leading the investigation into Flora Box's criminal enterprise. Beyond his professional duties, he is a compassionate father figure who understands the complexities of domestic trauma and takes a genuine, protective interest in Lola's safety.

Key Relationships

Protector of Lola Inthemirror

Investigator of Flora Box

Colleague of Detective Sergeant Cameron Millar

Supporting Characters

Flora Box's trusted right-hand man who helps run the criminal operations at the seafood wholesaler. He is instrumental in enforcing Flora's will and terrorizing clients who owe the organization money.

Key Relationships

Subordinate to Flora Box

Boss of Glenn Ash

An unhoused woman living in the scrapyard who is affectionately known as the Wizard of Oz by the residents. She acts as a grounded, observant neighbor who provides care and crucial information to Lola and her mother.

Key Relationships

Friend of Erica Finlay

A military veteran and scrapyard neighbor who lost an eye and struggled heavily with substance addiction. He represents a beacon of hope to the Moon Street community as he fights to maintain his sobriety and rebuild his life.

Key Relationships

Partner of Samantha

Neighbor of Lola Inthemirror

An unhoused resident of the Moon Street scrapyard and Serge Martin's devoted partner. She stands by him through his recovery and proudly shares the news of their expectant child with the local community.

Key Relationships

Partner of Serge Martin

A lonely, grieving man who is a regular customer on Lola's delivery route. He deeply misses his deceased wife and finds brief moments of comfort playing Scrabble and watching television during Lola's visits.

Key Relationships

One of Lola's regular customers who relies on the criminal syndicate to cope with her losses. She is a former wardrobe stylist who once dressed movie stars, but now lives a solitary life heavily impacted by addiction.

Key Relationships

The dedicated woman who runs The Well, a drop-in center for unhoused individuals on Moon Street. She works tirelessly to protect and support her community amidst the city's severe housing crisis and looming development threats.

Key Relationships

Supporter of Lola Inthemirror

A friend of Lola's who lives in a hidden hole in the ground to remain unseen by the dangers of the city. She possesses a seemingly prophetic intuition, frequently experiencing vivid dreams and visions that she shares as warnings.

Key Relationships

A police detective from Perth who travels to Brisbane to investigate a long-standing missing persons case. He collaborates with the local force to uncover hidden truths about past disappearances.

Key Relationships

A young woman from Perth who carries the weight of a long-standing missing person case in her family. She desperately seeks answers and hopes to connect with the person at the center of the mystery.

Key Relationships

Connected to Lola Inthemirror

A young toddler whose life is suddenly endangered by the river's strong current. Her survival becomes a powerful point of connection for those who witness the terrifying event.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Bless da Silva

Saved by Erica Finlay

Christina's mother, who speaks publicly about the heroism surrounding her daughter's rescue. She harbors her own traumatic history involving an abusive partner, finding immense gratitude in the second chance she and her child receive.

Key Relationships

Mother of Christina da Silva

Acquaintance of Lola Inthemirror

Erica Finlay's former husband, remembered as a highly abusive and violent figure. His aggressive actions sparked a major incident that forced Erica to flee and live the rest of her life on the run.

Key Relationships

Husband of Erica Finlay

Danny Collins's sister, a young woman from a wealthy family in Hamilton Hill who struggles with severe addiction. Her debts to the local criminal syndicate force her to hand over access to her family's opulent mansion.

Key Relationships

Sister of Danny Collins

Debtor to Flora Box

A fictional, imagined art critic whose objective perspective Lola adopts to narrate her own life. Though not a physical person, he serves as a crucial psychological tool that allows Lola to mentally step back and process highly traumatic or intense situations.

Key Relationships

Alter Ego of Lola Inthemirror

One of Ephraim Wall's criminal henchmen who operates under the orders of Flora Box. He acts as a physically intimidating enforcer assigned to track down targets who cross the syndicate.

Key Relationships

Subordinate to Ephraim Wall

Henchman of Flora Box

The manager of the Bedrock Wrecking Yard who once allowed Lola and her mother to sleep in an abandoned Gemini car. He recognizes Lola upon her return and unwittingly provides a massive clue regarding her past identity.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Lola Inthemirror

An unhoused neighbor of Lola's residing in the Moon Street scrapyard. She has been trapped on the social housing waitlist for years alongside her adult son, highlighting the severe housing crisis affecting the city.

Key Relationships

Mother of Sully

Neighbor of Lola Inthemirror

June's adult son, who lives in a vehicle in the scrapyard with her while they wait indefinitely for social housing to become available.

Key Relationships

Son of June

A transient individual known as a floater who charges passersby for random facts. He interacts with Lola and Charlie, sharing information about recent violent events in the area.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Lola Inthemirror

Friend of Pot

An unhoused man and friend of Ivan who frequently spends time with him on the streets of Brisbane.

Key Relationships

Friend of Ivan