June

June Costa is the main character and narrator of the novel “The Summer Prince” by Alaya Dawn Johnson. June is an incredibly artistic and beautiful 17-year-old girl from a mixed-racial background, with North and South American ancestors. June is incredibly intelligent and perceptive, benefitting from an elite education due to her life in the upper classes of Palmares Tres. June does not get along well with her mother, who cheated on June’s father while he was dying. June gets along far better with Auntie Yaha, her stepmother. June spends most of her time either creating art or with her best friend, Gil. Unlike the vast majority of people in Palmares, June finds the ritualistic killing of kings to be barbaric and backwards. Her opposition to the custom increases as she falls in love with Enki.

In Enki, June finds a fellow artist and a wonderful person – but...