This Poison Heart

Briseis Greene is the novel’s protagonist and narrator. At the beginning of the story, she is struggling with the dual burden of concealing and learning to master her magical plant-growing powers, which necessitates keeping secrets that have cost her friendships and rendered her time at school challenging. Although she is very close with her moms, Thandie and Angie, and the three communicate openly with one another, Briseis sometimes keeps secrets from them as well, especially whenever she worries that revealing the full nuances of her powers will lead them to fear her.

Briseis is determined and action oriented. When an obstacle arises, she doggedly pursues a solution even when her path forward is unclear. Despite having been rejected in the past by those who learn of her powers, Briseis remains trusting and wishes to share her secret with others. This desire sometimes leads her to trust the wrong people, such as Karter. She is thoughtful when it comes to caring for those she loves, and she is always conscientious of how her actions will affect her moms. Over the course of the novel, Briseis learns to trust more deeply in her powers and to embrace the things about herself that make her different, rather than resisting them.