The Change

Jo Levison is a dynamic protagonist who represents the physical manifestation of the rage that many women feel after enduring a lifetime of misogyny and microaggressions from men. Her personal history is defined by what she calls her “thirty-year war” (46) against her body and the societal expectations placed upon it, from the humiliation of her first period to the indignities of workplace sexism. Before her supernatural abilities emerge, she has already channeled her frustration into creating a women-only gym called Furious Fitness, a space where women can safely and physically express their anger. Jo’s inner transformation is directly linked to her menopausal experience, for her hot flashes, a common symptom of this life stage, evolve into pyrokinesis and superhuman strength. The heat that once plagued her thus becomes a weapon she can control, and this quirk of the narrative transforms a traditional symbol of aging into an instrument of immense power. Jo is the “protector” of the group, driven by a fierce maternal instinct to safeguard her daughter, Lucy, and all vulnerable young women from the harm that corrupt men can inflict. She is impulsive, confrontational, and unapologetically profane, often acting as the group’s immediate response to threats. While her power is the most outwardly destructive, it is also portrayed as a purifying force. In the novel’s climax, she uses her fire to burn down Culling Pointe, the physical symbol of a corrupt patriarchy and Epstein-like system that preys on young girls. Her journey illustrates how Channeling Anger to Enact Change can become a tool for radical justice.

Nessa James is a dynamic protagonist who functions as the moral and spiritual core of the central trio. A recently widowed nurse and empty-nester, Nessa begins the story feeling adrift and purposeless, her identity as a caregiver seemingly obsolete. Her transformation occurs as this newfound quiet in her life allows for the reawakening of her hereditary “gift” to see and hear the ghosts of murdered women. As she slowly embraces this new, sacred duty, her power stems from her innate perception, empathy, and communication, directly reflecting her professional background as a nurse and her personal history as a nurturing mother. As the group’s guide, Nessa discovers the murdered girls’ ghosts (and bodies) and bears witness to their trauma, a responsibility that causes her immense pain and fuels her resolve. She is characterized by her deep compassion, her quiet strength, and her unwavering moral compass. Initially the most hesitant of the three to defy authority, she grows into a determined advocate for the forgotten women and girls, confronting corrupt police officials and bending rules to ensure that the dead receive justice. Her developing relationship with Detective Franklin Rees symbolizes her re-engagement with life and her capacity for new connections, even as she honors the memory of her late husband. Nessa’s role highlights the importance of empathy and remembrance in the fight for justice, for she acts as the light that illuminates the darkness of the men’s crimes and ensures that the women they abused and murdered are never forgotten.

Leonard Shaw is the story’s primary antagonist, although the full extent of his role is hidden until the very end of the novel. He embodies the archetype of the wolf in sheep’s clothing, presenting himself as a quirky, benevolent, and retired philanthropist. In the guise of the affable “king of Culling Pointe” (199), he initially even deceives the sharp-minded Jo, who calls him a “cuddly little mensch” (199) and does not immediately perceive the full depths of his power in this exclusive society. Leonard further disguises his wrongdoing by using his vast fortune to fund charitable causes, including Jo and Claude’s self-defense initiative. However, this public persona is a carefully constructed mask that hides his true role as the mastermind behind the systematic sexual exploitation of young women. In fact, he is the founder of the Culling Pointe community and the creator of its depraved rules. Unlike the more overtly brutish Spencer Harding or the corrupt John Rocca, Leonard’s evil is insidious because it is cloaked in charm, generosity, and a feigned social conscience. He represents the deepest, most dangerous level of patriarchal corruption, for he has so successfully rationalized his monstrosity that he can orchestrate the atrocities of his colleagues while simultaneously funding programs to prevent such abuses from happening. His character’s presence in the novel allows Miller to critique the ways in which extreme wealth allows powerful men to launder their reputations through a show of public philanthropy.

Claude Marchand is a complex antagonist and a foil to the three protagonists. Notably, she is both a victim of and a willing participant in the corrupt patriarchal system that governs Culling Pointe. After her father, a perpetrator of a Ponzi scheme, dies by suicide and leaves her destitute in the ruins of his confidence games, she uses her wits and social skills to survive, eventually becoming Leonard Shaw’s partner and the primary procurer of young women for the abusive men of Culling Pointe.

Claude operates under the delusion that she can control the system from within, rationalizing her actions by ensuring that the abused girls are paid well for their trauma. She also channels a portion of the illicit profits into Leonard’s charities, many of which overtly benefit women around the world. She is a woman who chooses complicity over rebellion, believing that she can mitigate the harm wrought by the men around her even as she uses their influence to secure her own power and wealth. Her justification that she is giving the girls a “shot in the arm” (457) and a dose of reality reveals her deeply cynical worldview. Ultimately, her attempt to manage the monstrosity fails catastrophically, for even her violent murder of Leonard is an act that expresses her personal sense of betrayal and need for revenge. The moment shows the moral difference between her actions and the broader mission that galvanizes Harriett, Jo, and Nessa.

John Rocca is a secondary antagonist who represents the corruption of institutional power. As the Mattauk Chief of Police, he is supposed to be a protector of the community, but he is instead a predator who uses his authority to enable (and participate in) the sexual exploitation and murder of young women. His history of abuse dates to his youth, as revealed by his assault on a teenage Amber Welsh. For the men of Culling Pointe, he serves as the fixer and enforcer, procuring victims and ensuring that the men’s crimes are never investigated. His appearance on Newsnight is a masterful display of manipulation, for he rewrites the entire investigation to portray himself as the hero, erasing the contributions of Nessa, Jo, and Harriett and framing the innocent Franklin Rees. Rocca’s character is a direct critique of the Systemic Exploitation of Women, and his actions suggest that in the hands of the corrupt, even law enforcement can become a tool that allows the powerful to prey on the powerless.

Spencer Harding serves as the initial primary antagonist. A wealthy and influential art dealer, his cruelty is more overt than that of Leonard Shaw or John Rocca. He is the man who collects Polaroids of his unconscious victims, and these pictures provide the first concrete link to the murders. He operates with a sense of absolute entitlement, even sending his bodyguard to intimidate Jo and threatening Harriett with a delivery of funereal lilies. His fetish for unconscious, seemingly dead girls marks him as a deadly predator who treats women as objects to be collected, used, and disposed of, much like his art. Although he is killed midway through the narrative, his actions are the catalyst that unites the protagonists and exposes the larger conspiracy at Culling Pointe. His character illustrates the extreme violence that can flourish when wealth and male privilege go entirely unchecked.

Franklin Rees is a key ally and represents the ideal of a good man who is forced to work within a broken system. A former NYPD detective and a colleague of Nessa’s late husband, he is immediately established as trustworthy and empathetic. Unlike his colleagues, he takes Nessa’s intuition seriously from the beginning, believing in her gift and pursuing leads that others dismiss. On a practical level, Franklin acts as a source of official information for the women and attempts to seek justice through legal channels. However, his adherence to the rules and the limitations of his position ultimately prove insufficient to combat the deep-seated corruption represented by Rocca and the men of Culling Pointe. His eventual dismissal from the police force for “leaking” information emphasizes the system’s tendency to punish honesty. His role highlights the necessity of the women’s vigilante actions, and his romantic relationship with Nessa signifies her re-engagement with life and hope.