Hurricane Child is Caroline Murphy’s story. Caroline was born during a hurricane 12 years ago, and despite hearing that she is cursed for such a beginning, she is unafraid; her birth story is her mother’s favorite story to tell.

Nevertheless, the novel’s title has a defining significance; from the outset, the idea of a curse sets Caroline apart as an outcast, and alienation almost wholly characterizes her life before she meets Kalinda. Caroline sees spirits and ghosts—especially the woman in black, who appears to her during periods of deep loneliness and isolation. Before Kalinda, no one else has this seer ability, and while the special vision is a kind of gift, it also further solidifies Caroline’s position on the margins of her society. In addition, Caroline is a lesbian but attends a Catholic School whose theology categorically pathologizes her love. Being the smallest girl with the darkest skin, she is also singled out by her racist teacher and deals with ruthless bullies like Anise Fowler. Despite her struggles at school, however, she remains determined to find out what happened to her mother. Courage and resilience are two of her constant traits, and these qualities propel her character arc as she moves beyond isolation toward love and community.