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Maren Yearly
The 16-year-old protagonist of the novel, and an “eater.” After being abandoned by her mother, she attempts to locate her long-missing father in order to better understand her own cannibalistic impulses.
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Janelle Shields
Maren’s mother. Though she protects Maren from the consequences of her actions during her childhood, she abandons her when she feels that she is old enough to take care of herself.
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Frank Yearly
Maren’s father, and an eater. Institutionalized at the Bridewell mental care facility, he is unable to serve as a guardian for Maren.
Lee
A young male eater who accompanies Maren for much of the story, and the deuteragonist of the novel. He only eats those who harm or annoy him.
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Sully
An elderly eater with decades of experience surviving on the edges of society. The later chapters of the novel reveal that he is Maren’s grandfather, who has been hunting her down in order to consume her.
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Kayla
Lee’s younger sister. She loves her brother but is unaware of his condition.
Penny Wilson
A babysitter, and Maren’s first victim. She was a kind young woman who lived alone in the same apartment building as Maren and Janelle until her brutal death.
Luke Vanderwall
A high-spirited boy from Delaware. After befriending Maren at summer camp, he becomes her second victim.
Jamie Gash
The child of a colleague at the law office where Janelle works in Baltimore. Maren consumes him at an office holiday party held in his parents’ home, forcing Janelle to uproot their lives yet again.
Lydia Harmon
A grandmotherly older woman who treats Maren with kindness and warmth. After her death, Maren thinks of her often.
Samantha
A college student who Maren meets in St. Louis while attempting to hitchhike to Minnesota. Samantha abandons her in a Walmart in Iowa after collecting gas money from her.
Barry Cook
A drunk man in a cowboy hat and boxers who harasses a woman in Walmart. After Lee kills him, Lee and Maren sleep in his house and commandeer his car.
Andy
A friendly young man who works at Walmart. After attempting to kiss Maren in his car, she kills and eats him.
Lauren
An unkind teenage girl who works at a “Lucky Toss” booth at a carnival. After feigning romantic interest in her, Lee cannibalizes Lauren.
Josh
A young boy who plays the “Lucky Toss” game at the carnival. After Lauren refuses to give him the prize he has rightfully won, Lee plays the game in order to win a prize for Josh.
Barbara Yearly
The adopted mother of Francis and grandmother of Maren. She treats Maren coldly upon meeting her and wants little to do with her adopted son or his daughter.
Dr. Worth
The director of the Bridewell mental care facility. She is reluctant to allow Maren to see Francis, and later calls Child Protective Services after recognizing that Maren is traveling alone.
Travis
An orderly at Bridewell who takes care of Francis. Though he is not an eater himself, his curiosity about cannibalism stems from his own desire to be eaten.
Kerri-Ann Watt
An incoming senior at the University of Madison-Wisconsin. She picks up Maren and Lee while they are hitchhiking and is later killed by Lee after betraying Maren.
Jason
A handsome undergraduate student at the University of Madison-Wisconsin studying anthropology and archaeology. Though his death is only hinted at, he is presumably Maren’s final victim in the novel.
Wayne
A graduate student in Library Science at the University of Madison-Wisconsin. Noticing that Maren has been reshelving books in the library, he offers her a job.
Mrs. Clipper
An elderly woman who runs a boarding house for female students in Madison, Wisconsin.
