The Golden Hour (novel) - Characters

Characters

Rowan Popplewell

Rowan is a young man dealing with a great amount of stress. Because of his mother's death he has had to move with his father and sister to a small apartment where he has no room of his own. Before his mother died Rowan had many friends and a decent social life, but he now loses himself in video games to forget his problems. He describes himself as having a chest like a barrel, and being the kind of boy girls do not notice.

Nina Popplewell

Nina is Rowan's younger sister and, according to Rowan, "was a firecracker, always jumping with ideas." She has wild, uncontrollable black hair which tumbles over her shoulders and face. Nina is also a musical prodigy, able since the age of three to play tunes she had heard from the radio on the piano. After her mother's death, Nina "shut down". She stopped speaking and became dormant to the point of Rowan claiming that "I have no sister". It is also indicated from the text that she is highly intelligent.

Xanthe Alexander

Xanthe is described as having many shoulder-length braids and almond-shaped eyes. It is indicated that she is highly attractive. She is intrigued by native cultures, living close to the land, but also things that are mystical, symbolic and mysterious. She is homeschooled, because she and her brother are too intellectually gifted to be accommodated with the public school system. She is described as highly logical.

Xavier Alexander

Xavier is also described as attractive, and is a born liar. He remakes himself to suit whatever purpose is at hand, he loves to embellish the truth and he has an ego the size of a barn. Xavier also seeks freedom, independence and adventure, themes resonant with the spirit of the Gold Rush. He, like his sister, is homeschooled due to his advanced intelligence. He and Xanthe are fraternal twins, and he is the comedian of the two.

Agatha Drake

Agatha is a very short and plump woman who Rowan thinks resembles a pumpkin. She has light brown hair that is always messy, likes to dress in bright colors, and it is implied that she can read minds. Agatha lives with her friend Gertrude Pembroke in Owatannauk, Maine, where she uses The Owatannauk's alleviators (time machines) to travel through time collecting various items for her and Gertrude's curio shop. It is noted in the book that she enjoys word games like Scrabble. She is a nun.

Gertrude Pembroke

Gertrude is a tall and gaunt woman with a deep, melodic voice. She lives with her friend Agatha Drake in Owatannauk, Maine. She is not as outgoing as her friend Agatha Drake, and often described as humorless. She dresses in more somber colors than Agatha does. It is noted that she enjoys the game of chess.

Otto

Otto is the robot from the Owatannauk's alleviators (time machines)