Bloom

Anaya Riggs is one of the book’s three protagonists. She fits the archetype of the apocalyptic hero—one who faces the possible destruction of society. Anaya is characterized by her allergies—to pretty much every kind of food and environmental allergen imaginable—and by her conviction that her allergy symptoms make her unattractive. Wheezy, possessing of excessive mucus, and with “acne spread across her face” (17), she’s constantly worried about other people thinking she’s unattractive. On top of that, asthma makes her feel feeble.

Like all three protagonists, Anaya’s courage and heroism in the story evolve from an initial state of fear. She’s afraid of the many allergens that threaten her health and therefore afraid of the world itself. She even says she’d like to live in a bubble. Anaya is motivated, on the surface, by a desire to become beautiful. In her mother’s words, she hopes to bloom. On a deeper level, she’s driven by the instinct to help others, informing the book’s theme on Global Crisis, Heroism, and Togetherness.

When Anaya’s cryptogenic traits emerge, she becomes a strong runner—one of the things she couldn’t do earlier because of her asthma. She develops strong, furry legs and grows one massive claw on each foot, like a kangaroo.