A Heart in a Body in the World

The Taker was a new student at Annabelle’s school and met Annabelle in a mixed-media art class their junior year. The Taker quickly developed a crush on Annabelle, and Annabelle was friendly with him but repeatedly reminded him that they were just friends.

The Taker is dishonest, manipulative, and angry. Annabelle quickly notes that something about The Taker makes her uncomfortable due to various upsetting behaviors, such as when The Taker texts her late at night or insists that she give him rides home from school. The Taker also becomes unreasonably angry when anyone teases him, and he lies about his friends at his part-time job.

After Annabelle gets back together with her ex-boyfriend, The Taker, furious, buys a rifle, arrives at a party, and shoots Annabelle’s boyfriend Will and best friend Kat, thinking Kat is Annabelle. By the end of the novel, The Taker is sentenced to prison with two consecutive life sentences. His real name, Daniel Wainwright, isn’t revealed until the last chapter.

Grandpa Ed is Gina’s father and Annabelle’s grandfather. Grandpa Ed is very proud of his Italian heritage, having moved to the United States when he was 12 from the town of Gallarate. The Patron Saint of Gallarate, Saint Christopher, continues to be an important part of Annabelle’s family. Grandpa Ed is a talented cook, drinking wine and making Italian dishes for Annabelle throughout the novel. He also tells Annabelle about the “Agnelli Curse,” the impulse to tell white lies.

When Annabelle first begins her run across the country, Grandpa shows up with his RV and insists on accompanying Annabelle, much to Gina’s frustration, as she initially doesn’t want to encourage Annabelle’s run. Gina and Grandpa have a tense relationship and constantly fight. Annabelle eventually learns this is partially due to their disagreements during the illness of Gina’s mother and Grandpa’s wife, who died of cancer; Gina wishes Grandpa had taken her mother to a doctor sooner. Nevertheless, Grandpa Ed is very supportive of his family, accompanying Annabelle on her run, showing up to family holidays, and even working on reconciliation with Gina. During the novel, Grandpa also develops a romantic relationship with Dawn Celeste.

Gina is Annabelle and Malcolm’s mother and Grandpa Ed’s daughter. Gina is Italian Catholic, though “[f]or her, being Catholic isn’t just about religion—it’s about superstition and safekeeping and tradition” (5). Gina is a worrier, but she worries because she cares deeply about her children. Gina especially worries about Annabelle, aware of the PTSD Annabelle is experiencing. When Annabelle first explains her plan to run across the country, Gina tries to talk her out of it, thinking her idea is just “a momentary panic” (20) brought on by Annabelle’s PTSD. Gina becomes frustrated when Grandpa Ed and Malcolm offer to help Annabelle along her journey. However, by the end of the novel, Gina proudly supports Annabelle.

Malcolm is Annabelle’s younger brother. Annabelle and Malcolm have a close relationship. Malcolm loves science, and Annabelle describes him as a “[t]echnological genius, thirteen-year-old MacGyver. Brainiac, irritant, little buddy” (6). Due to his nerdiness, Malcolm is bullied at school, but he maintains a friendly, optimistic demeanor throughout the novel. When Annabelle first begins her run, Malcolm brings her a suitcase of clothes and supplies and maps out a route. Malcolm becomes Annabelle’s logistics coordinator and teams up with Annabelle’s friends Zach and Olivia to build a Facebook page and a GoFundMe page to support Annabelle along her journey.

Dawn Celeste is Luke’s grandmother. Grandpa meets Dawn Celeste when their RVs are stopped at the same campsite for the night. Throughout the novel, Dawn Celeste and Grandpa begin a romantic relationship.

Grandpa describes Dawn Celeste as “an old hippie” (87). At 17, Dawn Celeste changed her name from Delores Carpenter. Dawn Celeste says she was a “proud bra burner and equal rights marcher back in the day” (191), describing how she is a feminist. Dawn Celeste and her grandson Luke are taking a year to travel around the country in her RV, where Dawn Celeste says everyone is allowed to live by their own rules. When Grandpa’s tire blows out, Dawn Celeste picks up Annabelle and allows her to stay in her RV until they’re able to reunite with Grandpa. Dawn Celeste and Luke continue to meet up with Annabelle and Grandpa along their journey. Dawn Celeste is friendly and generous, many times offering Annabelle kind words and support.

Luke Messenger is Dawn Celeste’s grandson; he is the same age as Annabelle. Luke graduated high school at 16, began college early, and eventually dropped out one year before getting his MBA degree to travel the country with Dawn Celeste. Luke plans to transfer colleges and study land management, as he loves forestry and trees. Describing his interests, Luke quotes Willa Cather: “I like trees because they seem more resigned to the way they have to live than other things do” (198).

Luke gives Annabelle a cassette tape with songs to listen to while she runs as well as the book Endurance about a group of explorers in Antarctica. Along with Dawn Celeste, Luke meets up with Annabelle and Grandpa several times along their trip. Luke is not a runner himself, but he is impressed by and supportive of Annabelle’s running. Luke and Annabelle quickly become friends and joke about their grandparents’ budding romance. Eventually, Luke admits that he likes Annabelle but is taking things slow because he wants to be considerate of the trauma Annabelle is currently dealing with. By the end of the novel, Annabelle and Luke begin dating.

Kat was Annabelle’s best friend who was shot and killed by The Taker at Geoff’s party almost a year before the novel begins. At various moments in the novel, Annabelle imagines that Kat is with her and they are having a conversation. Annabelle feels that “Kat knows Annabelle better than anyone” (6). Annabelle also notes how Kat “was there when Annabelle’s dad lived with them, and she was there when he left. After so much time at their house, Kat even has her own place at their table” (217), describing the integral role Kat played in Annabelle’s life. At Geoff’s party, Kat and Annabelle even arrive wearing similar outfits, which Kat describes as a “Best friend mind meld […] we don’t have to plan, we just know” (323), emphasizing how alike they are. Despite their similarities, Annabelle notes that “Kat was more funny and brave than Annabelle, but more cynical too” (36). She states that Kat wanted to become a writer.