A
A is a disembodied spirit who wakes up in the body of a different person each day. A has no control over the gender, race, location, or appearance of each body they occupy, and they never occupy the same body twice. At the start of the novel, A is 16 years old, and they only occupy bodies of the same age. Comfortable living as both male and female, A is non-binary and does not exclusively identify with either gender. A is an empathetic, observant, responsible person who tries to leave each life unaltered after their 24-hour stay. Maintaining a careful distance from each person’s family and friends, A attempts to avoid the pain of making emotional attachments that will inevitably end when they leave each body. Although this existence can be lonely, A also appreciates the freedom it affords. A does not have to live with the burden of anyone’s expectations and does not experience stress related to the past or the future. At the start of the novel, A has accepted their unique existence and does not dwell on their inability to stay in one body. When A wakes up in the body of a boy named Justin and unexpectedly makes a deep connection with his girlfriend, however, A begins to defy the conditions of their existence by building a relationship with her.
Rhiannon
Rhiannon is a 16-year-old girl who meets A when A is occupying the body of her boyfriend, Justin. Rhiannon is a kind and attentive girlfriend who puts up with Justin’s poor treatment because she remains hopeful about their relationship. She is a romantic and optimistic person who values making deep connections with people, a trait that leads her to develop a unique relationship with A. Accepting and open-minded, Rhiannon decides to get to know A better, even though their relationship faces unconventional hardships.
Nathan Daldry
Nathan Daldry is one of A's hosts. He is a nerdy, rule-following “good guy.” While in Nathan’s body, A drives to a party in Rhiannon’s town, resulting in Rhiannon becoming friends with the person she perceives to be Nathan. The real Nathan later causes problems when he begins to send A threatening messages and tells local authorities that he has experienced a demon possession.
Reverend Anderson Poole
Reverend Poole is a religious leader who becomes involved with Nathan Daldry’s story. The reverend validates Nathan’s claims to the press, asserting that devil possession is common in modern society. Reverend Poole becomes an antagonist in A’s story, threatening the privacy and safety of A’s unique condition. In a shocking twist toward the end of the novel, Reverend Poole reveals himself to be a disembodied spirit, just like A, who has learned to occupy host bodies for longer than 24 hours at a time.
Justin
Justin is Rhiannon's boyfriend and A's first host in the novel. Justin is disorganized, insensitive, and inattentive to Rhiannon, consistently treating her poorly.
Kelsea Cook
Kelsea, one of A's hosts, struggles with severe, debilitating depression. On the day A spends in Kelsea's body, A learns that Kelsey has a plan to end her life within the next few days. With Rhiannon's aid, A comes up with a plan to get Kelsea the help she needs.
Vic
Vic is one of A's hosts. Vic is a transgender man, and A immediately takes a liking to him due to his ability to unapologetically embrace his identity.
Alexander Lin
Alexander Lin is A's final host in the novel. A creative teenager who plays guitar and deeply appreciates literature, Alexander is an extremely likable host. He is also an attentive son and loyal friend, earning A's respect. In short, Alexander leads exactly the kind of life A desires.
Zara
Zara is one of A's hosts, and she has exactly the kind of life A wishes for. Zara has a loving girlfriend named Amelia, a good social life, and a loving family. The day A spends in Zara's body serves as an ethical test, as A feels immense temptation to learn how to stay for longer than 24 hours.
AJ
AJ is one of A's hosts, and he happens to be an old friend of Nathan Daldry's. On the day A spends occupying AJ's body, A is able to converse with Nathan and glean information from him, as Nathan believes A to be his old friend AJ.
