Major Characters
My last name is a fancy Italian sports car.
Diego Ferrari
"Make sure you go to a shrine and leave the offering. La Difunta is a strict cobredora. She never forgets who owes her." (49)
Superstitious beliefs
Andrés thinks I'm using Pablo for money.
Marisol
"Light came in through the window, falling on the three of us like a blessing." (241)
Simile
"he started bellowing at me in front of the whole barrio" (5)
Neighbourhood
I live between two worlds: reality, and my dreams and goals. I am fiercely independent and keep a lot of secrets.
Camila Hassan
"[...] one mistake can be fatal. Keep your goal in sight. Keep your priorities straight, and it will all be worth it. I promise." (273)
Dreams, Sacrifices
I used to be a fútbol player, but I injured my meniscus.
Luciano Durant
"Love can be a burden and a curse." (126)
Metaphor
"'Vieja,' I said, instantly regretting [...]" (4)
Old woman
My family comes to all my fútbol games, and even supports Camila
Roxana Fong
"Her gaze, so full of longing, flitted to my father every few seconds. She was still hoping, waiting, for... I didn't know what. They'd been together since they were sixteen. If he hadn't changed by now..." (41)
Cycle of Abuse
Isabel looking to her husband for a connection she's waiting for but probably won't ever get.
I love to read, and I bring back bread for my siblings.
Karen
"Diego's laughter bounced off the crumbling stucco walls that surrounded the courtyard." (92)
Personification
"'Anyway, look at you! A licenciada!' he said." (60)
A graduate
I am insecure, and stuck in an abusive and loveless marriage.
Isabel Hassan
“None of the girls and women whose faces plastered the walls of our city had ever intended to become statistics [...] but they were blamed for the crimes committed against them.” (203)
Gender Inequality, Cycle of Abuse
I am Camila's loyal honor guard.
Nico
"El Buen Pastor, once a prison for incorrigible daughters, was now the only place where I felt welcome." (274)
Situational irony
"Un amor come el guerrero, [...]" (26)
A love like a warrior
I am a good role model and have high expectations.
Coach Alicia
"I'd leave this house the first chance I got, but not by chasing after a boy, including my brother. I'd do it on my own terms, following my own dreams, not someone else's. And most importantly, no one would leech off my sacrifices. No one." (34)
Dreams, Sacrifices, Cycle of Abuse
Camila realizes she needs to carve her own path, and not rely on others
My female voice was silenced by violence.
Gimena Márquez / Eda
"The children, Diego included, played under the supervision of one of the Sisters. Peter and the Lost Boys." (98)
Allusion
Literary OR Pop-culture
"And playing fútbol has turned you into a marimacho." (307)
Tomboy / Butch (derogatory term)