Lucia Bok is one of the main characters of the novel. Born in the United States after her pregnant mother and older sister, Miranda, emigrated from China, Lucia grew up in New York City. Lucia is free spirited, caring, and kind. She was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder when she was in her second year of college. Lucia experiences sporadic “episodes” that impact her ability to keep her job and care for herself independently. Lucia’s experience with mental illness is one of the main plot points within the novel, and through her diagnosis, Lee explores complex ideas like familial responsibility, biases/stigma around mental illness within society, and the way that a person’s perception of events often differs from reality.

Lucia is a deeply complex character who grows and develops in different ways throughout the novel. Lucia adamantly states that she is more than her illness: she is a woman with the wish to live a happy and fulfilled life. Lucia does not like to stay settled; she always wants to find something better, and she strives for happiness through her daughter, her environment, and her work.

Lucia lives normally for much of the novel, and she slowly becomes frustrated with her loved ones’ fixation on her healing and treatment.