Ina Mikkola

Ina Mikkola is the eldest of the three sisters and the novel’s central voice of responsibility, someone who believes survival depends on planning, discipline, and attention to what could go wrong. Growing up with an unpredictable mother, she steps into a parental role early, organizing daily life and policing her sisters’ behavior in the hope that structure can keep disaster away. As an adult she builds a life with Hector, and their relationship offers her steadiness she has never had at home, but it also forces her to confront how much of her identity is tied to being needed by Evelyn and Anastasia.

Ina’s love is practical and relentless: she shows care through logistics, boundaries, and follow-through, and she often interprets other people’s choices as risks she must manage. That approach makes her dependable, yet it also makes her quick to judge, especially when...