Helene Cooper
The author, narrator and protagonist of the book is Helene Cooper. A genealogical chart at the beginning of the book traces her ancestry back to the end of the 18th century and two families that were among who set sail from New York to the west coast of Africa to found Monrovia, Liberia. This lineage enjoyed substantial privilege all the way through much of the marriage of Helene’s parents, Calista and John Cooper.
William Tolbert
The blissful life of privilege for the Coopers—indeed, all life in Liberia for the Coopers—came to an end with the 1980 coup d’état which resulted in the mysterious circumstances of the death of the country’s President, William Tolbert. That Tolbert’s life ended on the day the coup commenced is unquestioned, but the exact circumstances remain shrouded even today.
Marlene Cooper
Marlene Cooper is Helena’s biological sister. When the coup launched a civil war which put a target on the backs of the Cooper family and others in their position, the family ultimately escaped into self-exile. Marlene is Helene’s sister, five years younger and—crucially—born to the same parents. As Helene writes, Liberia is a country “where men routinely father children by multiple women.” Thus, both Helene and Marlene are examples of what Liberians who share the same two parents respond to with “same Ma, same Pa” when asked.
Eunice
Though known as “Mrs. Cooper’s daughter” this particular aspect of Liberian culture becomes especially significant. Eunice becomes a member of the Cooper household when Helene is eight years old as a result of being taken in as a foster child. As a result, Eunice—though not a blood relative at all—shares the privileged life of being a member of the Cooper clan. Everything changes in the aftermath of the coup, however. While the two biological sisters escape to America with their parents, the “adopted” sister Eunice is left behind to face the brutality of a new regime looking harshly upon all those had benefited from privilege under the rule of Tolbert and his predecessors.
