Solo

Rutherford led a famous rock band, The Great Whatever, that fell apart after his wife, Sunny, died, triggering Rutherford’s substance abuse disorder. Rutherford blames himself for Sunny’s death since she was stung by a bee in Las Vegas while they were there for his tour, leading to an aneurysm. Rutherford lives in Hollywood with his two children, Blade and Storm. He plays the electric guitar, wears “glitter glam,” has wild hair, and is covered in tattoos honoring his family: “A sun on his right shoulder. / A storm cloud with a bolt of lightning on his left. / A blade running down the back of his neck. / Over his heart: STILL HERE” (59). Rutherford’s behavior while under the influence keeps the media following his every movement. Rutherford loves Blade and Storm, but his substance abuse disorder makes it hard for him to express that love. Rutherford is generous with his wealth and tries to be a good father, but he is unable to commit to rehabilitation. Rutherford’s kind and well-meaning character shines through by the end of the narrative. Rutherford genuinely helps the people of Konko, and his actions show that he is determined to be the father that Blade and Storm need, while staying true to his musical persona.

Sunny Morrison was Blade’s mother who died from a reaction to a bee sting when Blade was seven. Blade remembers Sunny as a wonderful mother, who joyfully loved him and Storm. He remembers the word games they used to play, and the happy times they spent together while Rutherford’s band was on tour. Blade thinks about Sunny every day, and when he plays his guitar, it reminds him of her laugh. Sunny understood and nurtured Blade’s gift for music and poetry, and memories of her kindness and hope give Blade strength when he thinks of her. Even though Sunny has passed away, she continues to serve as a guiding force for Blade. Sunny was the love of Rutherford’s life, which is why he is still struggling to cope 10 years after her death.

Sunny used to babysit Lucy. When Lucy became pregnant, her parents forced her to give up her baby, so Rutherford and Sunny adopted him and named him Blade. Rutherford and Sunny decided to keep Blade’s adoption a secret until he turned 18 and hoped to encourage him to meet Lucy.

Storm is Blade’s older sister. She is a budding musician, who—with Rutherford’s help—released an unsuccessful album. Storm used to date Van DeWish, a bully who humiliates Storm at her own party. Despite setbacks, Storm is grateful for what Rutherford’s wealth allows her to do. She knows she is not a great musician but is willing to try. Storm also understands Rutherford’s substance abuse disorder, and she is more forgiving toward Rutherford than Blade is. Storm and Blade have a healthy sibling relationship, full of love and gentle teasing. Storm sees Blade as her biological brother and treats him with love. However, when Blade starts to rage constantly against Rutherford, Storm snaps—ignoring Rutherford’s pleas to be quiet, revealing to Blade that he is adopted. Blade and Storm’s relationship weathers the conflict, and Storm is the only person in Hollywood Blade communicates with while he is in Ghana. She serves as Blade’s connection to his home in a way Rutherford does not.

Chapel is Blade’s high school girlfriend. She graduated high school with Blade and was planning on going to the same college as him until her father caught them together. Chapel is the daughter of a pastor, and both her parents have forbidden her from seeing Blade because they disapprove of Rutherford. Chapel’s character is supportive when Blade finds out he is adopted, but when Blade says he loves her, she doesn’t say it back. Chapel loves to shop and expects Blade to buy whatever she requests, highlighting her superficial, materialistic character. Blade only finds out that Chapel is using him after he gets her name tattooed on his arm as a gift to her. When Blade goes to Chapel’s house to show her, he finds her making out with Van, her ex-boyfriend. Chapel is a privileged Hollywood teenager who does not value her relationship with Blade as much as he does.

Blade meets Joy as she is collecting buckets of water from the village well. Joy speaks English with a slight British accent, and she jokingly explains, “Hmmm. Colonization. Blame it on the queen” (228). Blade falls in love with Joy’s intelligence, kindness, and humor. Joy has one more year of high school left, but she moved to Konko to look after her elderly uncle. She used to sing in a band and loves music as much as Blade. She doesn’t have a boyfriend, explaining that she is too busy teaching, tutoring, cooking, helping with the afterschool art program, village chores, and the many orphans, educating Blade about life in Ghana. When Blade tries to kiss Joy, she gently rejects him, but agrees to go on a proper date with him later. Joy heavily influences Blade’s reconciliation with Rutherford and connects Blade to the guide who leads him to Lucy.

Sia is a five-year-old orphan living in the village of Konko. She has a “whopping smile” and likes to “smack” her teeth and wink, which is how she first greets Blade. Sia becomes deeply attached to Blade, never leaving his side. Sia is a fun loving and “rowdy” little girl, who can happily play for hours with Blade, and is too busy to eat properly. Sia helps Blade appreciate the joy that comes with belonging to a community and symbolizes the inner child Blade has had to abandon prematurely due to Rutherford’s substance abuse disorder. Sia has lost her parents, but she has a large loving family in the people of Konko. When Rutherford arrives in Konko, Sia instantly bonds with him, leaving Blade’s side to be with Rutherford. Rutherford is equally besotted with Sia, emphasizing her symbolic reflection of Blade’s own inner child. Rutherford teaches her songs, lets her braid his hair, strum his guitar, and he tickles Sia the way Blade remembers him tickling him and Storm when they were young. Sia passes away from malaria, leaving Rutherford, Blade, Joy, and the rest of Konko distraught.