Alexander MacDonald, known as simply “Alex,” is the narrator of the book. Although he ostensibly is the protagonist, he functions more as the conduit through which the audience is introduced to clann Chalum Ruaidh. Rather than possessing a character arc of his own, he is the unifying factor that unites the stories of Calum, Alex’s grandparents, and the family as a whole. His life is marked by both tragedy and success: The death of his parents affects him just as much as the love of his grandfather. Throughout the course of the novel, Alex builds an understanding of what it means to be a member of a family, to possess a shared history, and to work hard to keep the family together.

There are two versions of Alex on display in the text, as there are with many other characters. The Alex in the present is a successful orthodontist with a profitable practice and a happy family. However, the novel spends very little time focusing on the successes in Alex’s life. Instead, the reader’s immediate introduction to Alex is through his brother, Calum. As Alex goes to meet his brother, he walks through the dilapidated and worn-down neighborhoods of a modern city.