The protagonist of the book, Estrella (also known as Esther) is a 16-year-old girl living with her family in 16th-century Encaleflora, Spain. She is short with curly black hair and a bump on her nose. As a child she was nicknamed Raven for her appearance, and she is often compared to her best friend and neighbor, Catalina, who is nicknamed Crow. Estrella believes in Catalina’s assessment of her, thinking, “[S]he knew who I was deep inside: I could be lazy sometimes; I believed in true love; I was head-strong and loyal, a friend until the end of time” (6).

While the story is premised on Estrella’s ignorance of her Jewish heritage, she is a thoughtful and intelligent person, very quickly picking up the lessons her grandfather teaches her and remembering those taught by her mother. She is an open and spiritual person, especially once she connects with her new religious identity. Before this discovery, she was not a person of particularly strong faith, but her dreams provide a clue as to her intuitive and devout nature, communicating information her conscious mind could not have known.

As Estrella develops a romantic relationship with Andres, she becomes more protective of herself around Catalina.