Kira is the main character of the book, an orphan whose mother, Katrina, has just died—in fact “Mother” is the first word of the novel. Kira’s father, Christopher, has been gone since before Kira’s birth, presumed to have been killed by beasts on one of their village’s “long hunts.” Kira’s predicament as a disabled orphan—she was born with a twisted leg—perfectly illustrates the lack of mercy in the isolated, brutal society she calls home, where anyone perceived as physically compromised is forced out and left to die in “the Field,” rather than nurtured and protected. When Kira was born, however, Katrina went against her society’s customs and refused to let her newborn be taken from her. But even though Kira is older now, presumably a teenager, Katrina’s death leaves Kira unprotected and uncared for, and Kira must find a way to show her value to society if she is to be allowed to stay.

As it turns out, Kira is not only useful to her society; she will be its savior. When the book opens, Kira is a scared and lonely girl. By its end, she has a purpose and strength that comes from learning certain truths about herself and her society. She knows her own value as an artist—as someone who would “create the future” (237)—and she also knows what the Council of Guardians has done to keep the people controlled and ignorant.