Inheritance

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, child death, and death by suicide.

Sonya is the 28-year-old protagonist of Inheritance, and the story is told primarily through her third-person limited point of view. She is a talented graphic designer and has deep green eyes and “maple-syrup-brown hair” (11). She is the daughter of Winter, an administrative assistant, and Andrew, an artist who tragically died when Sonya was 12 years old; Andrew fell from scaffolding while painting a mural. Sonya’s character has been deeply influenced by her parents; she inherited her father’s artistic talents and creative passion as well as her mother’s pragmatism and resilience. Despite Andrew’s death, Sonya has warm memories of his support and encouragement, and these experiences fuel her determination and self-confidence. Sonya also benefits from a strong support network. She shares a close bond with Winter, who provides advice and emotional grounding. Similarly, her enduring friendship with Cleo, her former college roommate, helps her navigate the manifold challenges of her life, from heartbreak and betrayal to supernatural dilemmas.

Sonya’s seemingly stable life crumbles when she discovers her fiancé, Brandon Wise, cheating on her. In the aftermath of their break-up, Brandon’s workplace harassment forces Sonya to quit her job, but these adversities become a turning point in her life.