Kiriel

Character Analysis

Our guide and protagonist, Kiriel thinks no one will notice when he takes a vacation from hell. Think again, though, Kiriel. It's not long before he's asked—or told—to return home, but a lot happens in the couple days he's gone.

Not a Demon

Let's start with what we should call the guy. You might think he's a demon, but don't tell Kiriel that—he tells us, straight up, "I don't like the term 'demon.' It carries quite a bit of negativity with it. It implies a pointy tail and cloven hooves. I prefer the term 'fallen angel'" (2.1). Well, all right then.

It's interesting that Kiriel makes a distinction between fallen angels and demons because there's not much difference in our minds. But what we think doesn't really matter, and instead, what matters is what Kiriel is asking us to do, which is to see past the label and judge him for who he is, not what he is. And here, we kind of get why it's so important to assert himself as a fallen angel—it sounds way better than demon, right? This is a big deal in a book that classifies characters based on what kind of being they are.

Human, demon, angel, Fallen angel, it may all be the same to us, but in the book, we're asked to think about the type of character someone is based on these labels alone. Here's the problem: Just like all stereotypes, the ones we make about demons are risky business. And in asking us not to label him a demon, Kiriel is inviting us to see him for who he is. So while he may come from hell, he has feelings, too.

Mirror of Souls

Kiriel's main role down in hell is what he calls being a "mirror of souls." In fact, that's where his name comes from. Listen to him tell us:

[O]ne of the many names I have been called is Kiriel. It's my favorite, from a language no longer in use, no longer remembered, and its meaning is "mirror of souls." My function has always been to echo souls' regrets back at them, thus letting them feel the full burden of their shame, guilt, and sorrow. These emotions, in order to be fully experienced, also require the sufferer to know that the sins which caused them are no longer secret, but have been witnessed. (5.1)

While we don't know what Kiriel's other names mean—he never tells us—we do know that this name, the one that means "mirror of souls," is his favorite. Much as he's sick of work and in need of a vacation, then, there's also some fondness for what he does. If there weren't, this name wouldn't be his favorite and the only one he shares with us.

In the passage above, we get to hear a little more about his life before he came to earth, too. Kiriel wasn't in charge of tormenting people, but instead he echoed them back to themselves, making sure they fully see themselves in all their faulty glory. We can see now why he's so set on making a distinction between himself and demons. He's not some dark and twisted evil guy; he just does his job.

The Devil You Don't Know

Kiriel gets even more complex when we see him considering his impact on the world. Sure, he can echo people's sins back to them all day long—and he has—but what is it all for? Kiriel wants to make a difference during his time on earth. When he decides to steal a body, he just wants a vacation, but once he realizes he can do so much more with his embodied time, he immediately sets his mind to doing so.

Kiriel starts small. He tries to get a bully to beat it, or make Lane see that she really is beautiful. Then he encourages Jason to make friends. It's nothing Nobel-prize worthy, but it's still something, and in the end, he even gets Shaun some extra time on earth. The angel compliments Kiriel, too: "You're very interesting—quite an intriguing creation; full of surprising depths, of unexpected twists and turns" (24.60). Indeed.

Perhaps what's more interesting than the actual impact Kiriel makes, though, is that he even wants to make a difference—for the better—in the first place. He isn't as focused on himself by the end as he is when he first makes his escape to vacation-land. Sure, sipping fizzy drinks while lounging on the beach is a dream, but it's even better to help people out. Kiriel is amazed by just how good this make him feel.

So, yeah: Maybe he's not a demon, after all.