Kiki is the protagonist and first-person narrator of the novel. As such, the novel is shaped through her experiences, and the novel’s voice, including its precise diction, is expressive of Kiki’s identity as a young Black woman. The first-person narration makes Kiki the reader’s companion into her world, but also allows the novel to create dramatic irony and suspense, as Kiki often reveals herself when she is not self-aware. This is essential to her role as the novel’s romantic heroine.

Kiki is a young woman starting her second year at Whitewell College. She has an edgy look, with her hair in long twists or braids, a nose ring, and form-fitting clothes. Her mother and father emigrated individually from Nigeria and met and married in England, where Kiki and her young sister were born and raised. They frequently visit family in Lagos, and Kiki is proud of her Nigerian cultural and heritage, including her ability to speak Yoruba, her parents’ native language. Her African roots are foundational to her identity, and she sees herself as set apart from, and often oppressed by, the white culture around her.