Content Warning: This section of the guide includes mentions of child abduction, abuse, sexual assault, predatory behavior, mental illness, violence against women, domestic violence, abortion, and suicide.

Patch is one of the novel’s protagonists. He was born with one eye and is wiry in build, with a charming smile and hair blonde “touching gold.” Patch’s early life is made difficult by poverty and his mother’s addiction, but he retains a sense of whimsy and romance, pretending to be a pirate. This identity becomes a touchstone throughout his life, allowing him to navigate the difficulties and trauma he faces. Even though he is neglected and often bullied, he has a strong sense of moral obligation when he sees Misty in danger, recognizing the “acute burden of seeing a girl in trouble” (10). He does not hesitate to intervene, and this moment is emblematic of his courage and stubbornness. As an adult, he continues to combine his childhood traits of romantic ideas, courage, and toughness as he searches for Grace.

Patch is a gifted painter and capable of seeing beauty, but he focuses his art career on painting girls who have gone missing. Just as he could not abandon Misty as a child, he cannot look away from the tragedies of life.