Devon Richards

Devon Richards is one of the 17-year-old protagonists and narrators of the novel. He is a musician that plays the piano and wants to go to Julliard. He grows up in the “bad” part of town and lives in poverty. His father went to jail when he was young for crimes that are never specified, and he is put on death row. Devon visits him once in prison and is sad when his father tells him to never return. During the novel, he learns that his father committed suicide just after their visit. Devon and his best friend, Jack, both want to get out of their neighborhood, so they apply to Niveus and are delighted when they get in.

Devon does not participate in the social aspect of Niveus. Instead, he focuses on developing his musical skills. He realizes he is gay when he is in middle...