Cole functions is the novel’s second protagonist and Mara’s male partner, following the dark-romance archetype of the antihero. Cole is a man leading a double life: He is a meticulous and celebrated artist who is also a cold, methodical serial killer. In his first-person chapters, the narrative shows that his psychology is rooted in a traumatic childhood, losing his mother to suicide, and experiencing neglect and abuse from his father and uncle. This upbringing forged him into a solitary, emotionally detached individual who believes in absolute control as the only means of ensuring safety and order. His character arc is shaped by Mara’s influence, challenging his isolated existence and forcing him to embrace a level of emotional vulnerability that he has long suppressed.

Cole’s worldview is predicated on a zero-sum survivalist belief that violence is a rational and necessary tool for correcting imbalances and eliminating threats. He has killed 14 men prior to the novel’s events, and each murder was a calculated act to, in his view, right a wrong or remove an obstacle. He explains his philosophy to Mara, framing it as a pragmatic approach to a flawed world, almost as self-defense: “There are two ways: Shaw dies, or we do” (11). Cole also uses the fear of Shaw to bind Mara to him, framing himself as her only protector.

Cole serves as a dark mentor to Mara, shown most unsettlingly through his paternalistic application of violence toward her to “help” her, such as when chokes her in Chapter 7 and makes her watch his video of Randall’s torture and murder in Chapter 15. His relationship with Mara becomes his ultimate artistic project, drawing on dark literary figures of mentorship and control, such as Pygmalion or Svengali. He seeks to shape and refine her, stating, “A diamond can’t shine until it’s cut” (6). While this mentorship is undeniably a form of control, it is also what enables Mara’s artistic and personal growth. He is the first person to recognize and champion her talent, pushing her toward success. This dynamic makes him a deeply complicated figure whose actions, however dark, are presented as instrumental to Mara’s increased empowerment. His character remains morally gray, as he is a killer who paradoxically becomes a source of safety, love, and liberation for Mara.

Shaw is the novel’s primary antagonist and is a static character who serves as a foil to Cole. Both men are successful artists and killers, but they operate from fundamentally different psychological motivations, making Shaw a form of alter-ego to Cole. Where Cole’s violence is cold, controlled, and methodical, Shaw’s is driven by a euphoric, sadistic rage. Shaw remains unchanged throughout the narrative and is a figure of pure malevolence who delights in cruelty and whose ultimate goal is to assert his superiority over Cole by killing Mara.

Shaw’s antagonism is deeply rooted in his history with Cole, and his actions are consistently framed as provocations aimed at Cole. He abducts Mara specifically because he perceives Cole’s interest in her, seeking to prove that Cole is just as susceptible to impulsive, “undisciplined” violence as he is. He taunts Cole about his changing nature, mocking his “pretensions of discipline and stability” now that Mara is in his life (91). Shaw’s violent interest in Mara is only as a pawn to expose and dominate Cole, making his attitude toward her an extreme form of objectification and misogyny. This is further reflected in his behavior toward women in general, especially his female victims; meanwhile, Cole, while violent and sexually obsessive, “only” kills men. Shaw’s art, characterized by chaotic and brightly colored installations like his Technicolor spiderweb, is a manifestation of this inner state. Cole notes that Shaw’s vibrant canvases reflect “the energy [Shaw] feels when he brutalizes a girl, ripping her soul from her body in wild, erotic abandon” (198). This lust for violence is intertwined with an insatiable need for public recognition and dominance.

Randall and Tori are antagonists who characterize the abuse and neglect of Mara’s upbringing. Though they are flat, static characters, they are essential to her backstory and character arc. Both are caricature-like corruptions of parental figures, without any redeeming qualities. This helps to support the nightmarish characterization of Mara’s childhood and also to assist the novel’s ambiguous moral presentation of their murders by Mara and Cole as methods of personal justice.

Randall, Mara’s stepfather, embodies negative male entitlement, as he uses both Mara and her mother for his gratification and comfort, whether sexually, domestically, or through emotional abuse. His abuse of Mara was a means of asserting control in a life where he felt his superiority to be threatened: His actions, such as forcing Mara to kneel for hours or burning her beloved teddy bear, were acts of calculated sadism intended to regain a sense of control and power. Tori, Mara’s mother, was and is emotionally and psychologically abusive toward Mara, as well as neglectful. Consumed by jealousy and resentment, she has systematically sabotaged Mara’s self-esteem and ambitions, most notably by destroying her art-school portfolio. Her stream of hateful emails to adult Mara and her attempts to discredit her publicly reveal a woman who cannot tolerate her daughter’s success or independence. Together, Randall and Tori created a home environment devoid of love or safety, establishing the psychological wounds that have made Mara simultaneously crave independence and seek the extreme protection that Cole offers. Their ultimate demise at the hands of Cole and Mara, respectively, provides a violent and cathartic resolution to Mara’s past, representing her final, brutal break from the cycle of victimhood.

Hawks is a minor character who represents the failures of the conventional justice system in the novel. He is a diligent and perceptive detective, correctly suspecting Cole’s involvement in criminal activities. However, his focus is misplaced; he pursues Cole relentlessly while the true serial killer, Shaw, continues his rampage. This misdirection suggests the inadequacy of a legal system bound by rules and bureaucracy in catching brilliant and ruthless criminals like Cole and Shaw. This serves to justify the protagonists’ turn to extralegal violence, reinforcing the novel’s central idea that true justice must be seized by personal, violent means.