Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely

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Major Characters in the Wicked Lovely Series

Aislinn or Aisling (ASH-ling): "vision" or "dream." The nickname for her, "Ash," also has significance in regard to Celtic mythology: Rowan (Mountain Ash) is one of the sacred woods. Further, "ashes" are what's left behind after something or someone is burnt away. Ash is a teenage girl who--like her mother and grandmother before her--has the ability to see the faeries who walk among us. More than anything, she simply wants a normal life--college, a relationship, a future away from the world of faeries. She likes fairy tales, pool halls, photography, and art. Ash is one of the narrators of Wicked Lovely, Fragile Eternity, and Darkest Mercy.

Donia (don ya): "bitter" or "dark." Donia was once mortal, until she was chosen as a possibility for being the Summer Queen. Now, she is the Winter Girl, cold, angry, and rule-bound to oppose Keenan each time he chooses another mortal girl. Her sole companion, Sasha, is a wolf. She is torn between helping Beira in order to end the pain of ice in her veins and refusing to help her because the consequences of Beira's success are environmentally awful. Donia is one of the narrators of Wicked Lovely, Fragile Eternity, and Darkest Mercy.

Keenan: "ancient one." Keenan is the Summer King. Nine centuries ago, his mother (Beira, the Winter Queen) had Irial bind Keenan after the death of the last Summer King (Miach; who is Keenan's father). Unless Keenan finds the mortal girl who holds that missing sunlight, he's unable to wake summer. He is in love with Donia and has ordered his court guards to protect her. He's as volatile as summer storms, prone to mood swings. Keenan is one of the narrators of Wicked Lovely.

Beira: a version of Cailleach Bheur/Bheirre/Beara/Bheara/Birra/Beirre. The myth behind her is too complex for a simple definition. In Wicked Lovely, I've made my Beira is what winter is to me--beautiful and awful, terrifying and lovely. She is mother to Keenan, the current Summer King, and murderer of Miach (the last Summer King). Her objective is to let winter continue to grow until there is no more summer. The death of mortals is neither a motivation or deterrent in this plan. Her court will survive; the rest is immaterial. She's also a fan of stereotypical 1950s (and beyond) iconography of conservative womanhood--and the femme fatale inversion of this.

Seth: From Biblical origins, Seth was the third son of Adam and Eve; his name means "appointed." In an alternate etymology (Greek), his name means "dazzle." Seth is supportive, pierced, smart, individual, and sexy. In Wicked Lovely, we only see Seth from Ash, Keenan, and Donia's perspectives, so his moments of insecurity and worry aren't visible. He's out of school, but not got around to going to college yet. He reads voraciously, creates art in various mediums, and enjoys the freedom of living in a restored train--by his own rules and on his own dime. His parents are modern hippies who are currently following a religious inclination that led them to forsake material possessions and travel. They call and send letters. Seth respects their individuality, even though he has occasional moments of frustration at them. Seth is one of the narrators of Fragile Eternity.

Grams (Elena): An alt form of Helen, meaning "light" or "torch." Grams has lived her life by the rules. She's raised a daughter and a granddaughter who can see the faeries. She wouldn't use the word, but she is a feminist. She loved her husband enough that re-marriage after his death never appealed to her (although she does have a bit of a long-standing crush on Meteorologist John Coleman). She likes doing crossword puzzles; watching CNN, the local news, or the Weather Channel; and volunteering at several charities during the day when Ash is at school.

Irial (ear ee al): This name has obscure/unclear/vague origins and meanings. A short version of his name is "Iri" (eerie) which was just too perfect for his character. At the onset of the series, he's the head of the Dark Court, and nine centuries ago, he helped Beira bind Keenan. He has an interest in tattoos that stretches almost as far back as the art form has existed, and the ink exchanges referred to in the title are a result of this. Irial is one of the narrators of Ink Exchange and the short story "Stopping Time".

Niall (nile or neel): "champion"; "passionate, vehement"; anglicized as "Neil." Niall is one of Keenan's two advisors in Wicked Lovely. He is one of three main characters in Ink Exchange and plays a major role in the series. He has a somewhat rigid moral code and believes that doing the wrong thing for the right reason is not the correct path. He has a long scar on his face from refusing to cooperate with Irial and a deep debt to the last Summer King who accepted Niall into the Summer Court despite Niall's past. This dual sense of gratitude and indebtedness, combined with his pre-Summer Court experiences, make him inflexible on ethics issues. He is one of the narrators of Ink Exchange.

Lesie: "joy." She attends school with Ash and is one of Ash's closest friends; however, she knows nothing of faeries in Wicked Lovely. Her brother, Ren, is an addict; her mother left the family to "find herself." Leslie is particularly fond of literature, avoiding relationships, and pretending that everything is okay. She waitresses at Verlaine's Restaurant, parties, and in general, keeps busy enough to avoid being at home. Leslie is one of the narrators of Ink Exchange and the short story "Stopping Time".

Ani: "beautiful." Ani is the daughter of Gabriel (who leads the Hunt) and Jillian (a mortal). Readers initially met her in Ink Exchange. For the past fourteen years, Ani and her sister (Tish) were raised by her half-brother, Rabbit (a tattoo artist). They are under the protection of the Dark Court. At the onset of Radiant Shadows, Ani is 17. She's impulsive, fond of clubs and loud music, and like any child of the Wild Hunt, likes fights and speed. Ani is not truly a part of the mortal or faery world, but living between the two worlds. She is one of the three narrators in Radiant Shadows.

Devlin: Devlin is the brother of the first two faeries, Bananach (Discord) and Sorcha (Order). Readers initially met him in Fragile Eternity. He is the High Court's assassin, and as such, lives in Faerie. He is the first male faery, although—like most faeries—his appearance is that of a mortal in prime health. ("Order and Discord made him as if carved of stone, a sculpture crafted by two who would never work together again. They gave him too many angular features and too many softened spots: his lips were too-full and his eyes too-cold. He was their best traits compromised. Where Bananach had hair of the purest black and Sorcha had multi-toned hair of living flame, his was opalescent white: all colors shifting in and out of existence. They gave him purest-black eyes and strength not unlike Bananach's, but none of her madness. They gave him tall stature and Sorcha's love of art, but none of her physical restraint. Together, they'd made him a thing of extreme cruelty and extreme beauty.") Devlin is one of the three narrators in Radiant Shadows.

Rae: "grace" or "wise protector." Rae has lived in Faerie since the late 1800s. In various stories, there are snippets of tales of people wandering into Faerie, of people "dream walking" and leaving their bodies behind. Rae is one such person. Rae is one of the three narrators in Radiant Shadows.

Bananach: She is the twin of Order. Her appearance is alternately bird-like and human-like. She has feather-hair, and her gestures are often avian. As she grows stronger, her wings transition from shadows to solid form and her madness is replaced by cunning. Her primary goal is disorder. Her character is influenced very directly by folkloric sources.
- bananach: preternatural female beings in early Irish literature who haunt the field of battle. See Also Badb; Bocanach. Badh, Badhbh, Boabh, Bave [Ir., hooded or hoodie crow, the scald crow in Ireland or the Royston in England; crow or raven with implications of deadly, fatal, dangerous] A supernatural woman, perhaps a goddess or demon, who frequents places of battle, both before and after conflict, in early Irish literature . . . . Badh is one of a trio of battle goddesses, the Morrigna, along with Morrigan and Macha." (Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, 1998 edition)