Lisa

Lisa is the main character of Monkey Beach. Her full name is Lisamarie Michelle Hill, which pays tribute to her uncle Mick in two ways. Lisa is a tomboy through and through and often gets into fights with other boys and girls. Mick calls her "monster" as a term of endearment, but she is often characterized as a "fighter" or "freaky" by others. She manifests these qualities in her tough exterior, but as the novel progresses, her sensitive interior become more apparent. Lisa comes alive when participating in traditional Haisla activities with either Ma-ma-oo or Mick.

Endowed with the gift of vision, premonition, and the ability to see ghosts, Lisa struggles to stay grounded in the physical world. Her life is destabilized after Mick and Ma-ma-oo's passing -- especially after the latter's, due to the guilt Lisa feels for not listening to her gift and doing what she...