Who is McLean from The Floating Island and what is their importance?

McLean is a singer, a bard, who lives at the Crossroads Inn. His gifts include the ability to healing through song, and hear gossip, as well as the whispers in the wind. McLean is also blind, and Murphy, the talking cat, and the Spice Folk (fairies) serve as his eyes, telling him everything that happens around him. McLean helps heal Nicolas after he is attacked in the crossroads, and he teaches valuable concepts to Ven throughout the novel about life..... and happiness.