Book Update! First Look at Shard’s Cast of Characters!

CONNOR RHYS

Born in Cowbridge, Wales.

Personality: Cocky and seemingly self-sure, Connor hides his empathetic nature behind a cavalier attitude and the occasional sarcastic comment. He thinks Kaia’s pretty cool, but he’s not sure if she returns the sentiment.

Notes:
– His last name is pronounced “Reese.”
– Though he was born in Wales to Welsh parents, he grew up in England and has lived in cities ranging from Manchester to London.

YAMAMOTO “DICE” DAISUKE

Born in Tokyo, Japan.

Dice loves life, and it shows. His exuberance and showmanship are always on full display. He’s truly brilliant (with some insane inventions to prove it), but there’s no arrogance to be found in Dice. He loves his friends, and he loves having fun with them every chance he gets.

Notes:
– He abbreviated his name Daisuke (pronounced “Dice-kay”) to “Dice” because he got tired of explaining how to pronounce it all the time
– Dice isn’t afraid to act a little silly if he’s having fun, and he couldn’t care less if other people look at him funny because of it

ALIZÉE LAURENT

Born in Alès, France (though she claims to be from Paris).

Alizée is warm and caring – unless you cross her. In that case, she will fiercely defend herself and what’s hers. She may not tell you exactly how you’ve got on her bad side, but you’ll definitely know it when it happens. As Connor likes to say, “Don’t mess with the Alley Cat. She has claws.”

Notes:
– Her name is pronounced “Ah-lee-zay Low-rahn”
– Alizée isn’t proud of her aggressive tendencies, and she looks to her closest friends to help her change

EZIO ROSSI

Born in Rome, Italy (to the best of his knowledge).

Serious and studied, Ezio is careful about what he says and how he says it. While you can see the deeper and darker emotions in his eyes, he keeps most of those feelings locked away from the outside world. It is the rare person that Ezio will let into his heart.

Notes:
– The “z” in his name is pronounced like the “z” in “pizza”, meaning his name sounds like “Ets-yo”
– Ezio doesn’t like to talk about how he got the scar on his face. It, like most of his past, is a mystery.

MIKAËL KABORÉ

Born in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

Mikaël is a hard person to get to know, as he never speaks. No one is really sure if Mikaël chooses not to speak or is unable to, but he still expresses himself through other non-verbal means.

Notes:
– His given name is the French form of Michael, and his full name is pronounced “Mee-kah-ell Kah-bow-ray”.
– Vladimir will often say “Mikaël said….”, but it’s unclear if he’s interpreting the younger teen’s expressions or if Mikaël actually speaks when he’s alone with his best friend.

GABRIELA LOPES

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Gabriela (or “Gabby”, as Connor calls her) is an endless source of energy. Bubbly and warm, she always has something to say. And say. And say.

Notes:
– Even though it appears similar to the Spanish surname “Lopez,” Gabriela’s Portuguese last name is pronounced “LOW-peace”.
– Gabriela had a difficult childhood growing up in the Favela da Rocinha. Despite the tragedies she lived through, she now maintains her seemingly endless positivity with her conviction that “I’ve already seen the worst, so nothing you do can touch me.”

VLADIMIR SERGEYEVICH SOKOLOV

Born in ???, Russia (not even he knows).

At 6’5″ (1.96 m), Vladimir towers over his friends. He is a gentle giant, however, who is always mindful of other’s feelings. He says his favorite movies are old American Westerns, as they were all he had access to as a child.

Notes:
– Vladimir’s name isn’t pronounced “VLA-duh-meer” (with an “a” like in “cat”) but “vlah-DEE-meer” (with an “a” like in “paw”). However, he knows that is the common English way of saying it, so he never corrects his friends.
– He learned English fairly recently, so he still has a strong accent and can take longer to form his sentences. He sometimes feels self-conscious about it, but his friends assure him they can always get his meaning.