Miss Coral Allen

Miss Coral is known among the patients and staff for her exceptional strength. She is an elderly woman who is small and rather frail. But when she has a fit of anger, she is capable of tossing beds. She knows a lot, and Deborah is attracted to her for that. Miss Coral teaches Deborah what she can remember of Greek and Latin.

Anterrabae

Anterrabae is the most powerful god who lives in Deborah's imaginary world, the Kingdom of Yr. He often directs her actions, thoughts, and communications.

Deborah Blau

Deborah Blau is the protagonist of this story, a fictional stand-in for the author herself. She is sixteen years old at the opening of the novel and is on her way to a mental hospital after having attempted suicide. She is never sure, as the novel progresses, how long she will have to stay in the hospital...