Stone Cold

The protagonist and one of the two narrators of Stone Cold is Link. His tragic journey reveals the vulnerability of living unhoused and dismantles prejudices about who becomes unhoused and why. Through Link, Swindells portrays living unhoused as something that can happen to anyone, regardless of background or character.

Link doesn’t reveal his real name, as he feels that he’s “one of the invisible people” (7). His use of an alias emphasizes the loss of identity and humanity that comes with being unhoused. Link is introduced as an ordinary British teenager who grew up in Bradford. Born in 1977, he represents a young man with potential whose life is derailed by circumstances outside his control. His parents are referred to as Mr. and Mrs. X, highlighting the universality of his story—Link could be anyone. He explains that his father left the family for a receptionist, and his mother’s new boyfriend, Vince, was the catalyst for his becoming unhoused: Vince pressured Link about living off his money, and he ultimately decides to leave home. He has a sister, Carole, who initially helps him, but after she moves in with her boyfriend, Link decides to try his luck in London.