appreciate herself and knows the medical uses for many plants. To mask her pain, she assumes a new identity as Ash, cutting off her hair, wearing a scarf of thorns, a heavy jacket, and her father's nail-studded boots. She often tattoos herself with needles and ink. Eventually, her entire body is covered in black roses, vines, ravens, etc. When her old neighbor tells her to look closer, she discovers the ink is actually green. The tattoos begin to change color as she grows and heals from her pain, the flowers becoming as they were in her dreams. The half-heart near her own heart turns red at the center. Aurora, Green's sister, who visits Green in her dreams. Aurora is Green's opposite, a young girl who was outgoing and cheerful. She laughed and danced and charmed others greatly. Green misses her the most after the fire kills her family. In Green's dreams, Aurora sometimes appears as an older version (about Green's age) of herself, but Green comes to realize Aurora will never be any older. She accepts Aurora's death, and the loss of her family. In Green's dreams, Aurora sometimes wouldn't recognize her (this was only when she became Ash). Mother and Father, Green's parents who die in the fire. The story doesn't talk about them in detail as it does with Aurora. Green's father was "honest and strong" and her mother was gentle and "collected blue jay feathers, preferring them to her pearls." Green finds that her mother was going to gift her the pearls on her 16th birthday. Old Woman, Green's neighbor who helps Green to heal. Aurora and Green used to steal golden apples from this old woman. Green at first assumes the woman hates her, but in reality, she doesn't. Green begins paying regular visits to the old lady's house. Each time she visits, the woman asks her what her name is. On every occasion except the last, she replies that her name is Ash. Diamond, Green's friend who helps Green to heal. Diamond is a quiet boy who comes to Green's house one day. He's one of the few people Green trusts. He almost never speaks, but Green seems to understand him perfectly. While staying with Green, he cleans up her garden, believing it will grow, and paints a portrait of Green. He eventually leaves to search for his mother. She was in the fire, but