Daniel Sullivan

Daniel is a Brooklyn-born American who marries Claudette Wells and moves in with her in northern Ireland. Daniel is a kind, thoughtful, and very family-oriented man haunted by the death of Nicola Janks, his former lover, and the abortion she had against his pleading. This deeply upsets Daniel and leads to how important his later children are to him. Daniel is the father of Niall and Phoebe (children from his first marriage which ended in mutual infidelity) and Marithe and Calvin by Claudette, with Ari being a stepson.

Daniel travels to New York in the novel to confront his past, reconnect with his American children, and to learn about Nicola’s fate. Years later, Phoebe’s accidental death traumatizes Daniel, who spirals into alcoholism. Promising both Claudette and Niall he will get sober, Daniel makes a conscious effort to, and succeeds in getting clean. Though estranged and...