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The Main Cast (In order of appearance)
Hetty
Hetty Feather
Debut: Hetty Feather
Hetty Feather/Sapphire Battersea/Emerald Star is the protagonist of the Hetty Feather series and the narrator. The series begins when Hetty is a child, and ends when she is in her late teens.
Hetty is fiery and has an extremely short fuse, struggling with discipline and authority. She cares deeply for those she loves and tries her best to be kind, but is often narcissistic and self-centered. She unintentionally hurts those around her, particularly her foster brother Jem as we see later on in the series. Although the love is mostly unrequited, there is some evidence to show that Hetty may have returned his feelings, particularly her strong reaction to Jem's marriage and discomfort at seeing Jem and Janet's life together in a vision.
- Aesop Amnesia: A few examples:
- Seems to constantly have to re-learn that it's not worth pursuing fame and fortune in place of happiness and peace. Hetty even lampshades this.
- In addition, Hetty keeps making the same constant mistake of letting her nostalgia and idolisation of people/certain places cloud her rationality and judgement.
- Career Versus Man: The main dilemma Hetty faces throughout the books. She leaves Jem for the circus and can't reconcile her feelings for either him or Bertie.
- Commitment Issues: In both her personal and professional life. She cannot hold a steady career as she's constantly jumping from job to job and quite literally running away from her problems. When Jem confronts her with his feelings, she runs away to the Circus. Hetty even lampshades this when talking with Gideon at Jem's wedding reception:
- Hetty: Perhaps one day you would like to marry too.
Gideon: I don't think so! What about you, Hetty?
Hetty: Oh, I don't know. Maybe foundling children are so starved of love they don't really know how to want to marry.
- Expy: An obvious homage to Anne Shirley.
- Fiery Redhead: Her temper often gets her into trouble, especially in Hetty Feather where she gets locked in the Punishment Room for throwing a ruler at her teacher.
- Green-Eyed Epiphany:
- Sort-of with Jem, when she realises he's engaged.
- With Bertie, when she sees him laughing with Ivy backstage in Little Stars.
- Jack of All Trades: Hetty has worked a HUGE variety of jobs, including a Scullery Maid, Showgirl, Farmer's market saleswoman, Circus Ringmaster, Music Hall artiste, Seamstress and Actress.
- Parental Substitute: To Diamond, taking on the role of caregiver and big sister, which is often portrayed as frustrating for Hetty who's still only a teenager herself.
- Plucky Girl: Extremely brave. Hetty always manages to approach even the hardest of situations with a smile, which is especially what makes her so endearing to someone like Jem or Gideon.
- Redhead in Green: Hetty makes her first formal dress out of green velvet, which can be seen on the cover of Sapphire Battersea.
- The Runaway: How Hetty copes with her problems - she literally runs away.
- Small Town Boredom: What Hetty loathes about returning to her childhood home; there's nothing to do. This is even the main reason for running away to the Circus, and also partly to spell out to Jem that they aren't compatible.
Jem
Jem Cotton
Debut: Hetty Feather
Jem Cotton is Hetty's older foster brother, introduced in the title book. Sweet and caring, he is endlessly patient to those he loves, particularly Hetty, making sure to write to her consistently when she is in service and in the Hospital. Son of Peg and John Cotton, his profession is farming, taking over his duties on the village farm when his father died in Emerald Star.
- Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Bertie's Veronica, to Hetty as Archie.
- Big Brother Mentor: To pretty much all of his foster siblings.
- Country Mouse: Has only left the village twice - once to collect Hetty from The Hospital, another to see Hetty perform with the Circus in the next village over.
- Dogged Nice Guy: Nothing Jem can do can subdue Hetty nor make her love him. Hetty eventually devolves into Jem's very-own Love Martyr.
- Expy: An homage to Gilbert Blythe, though is a certainly less intelligent version.
- Extreme Doormat: Can't tell the woman that he's supposed to marry he doesn't love her because he's scared at what his village might think.... He marries Janet anyway, out of embarrassment.
- Loving a Shadow: By the latter half of Emerald Star, it becomes apparent that Hetty and Jem aren't compatible romantically, with Jem still idolising Hetty and hanging onto a 10 year old Childhood Marriage Promise, ignoring the fact that Hetty has changed significantly. This is made especially painful when Hetty actually becomes self-aware of her own previous idolisation of Jem when cracks start to show in her own feelings for him, which results in a painful Broken Pedestal moment for her.
- Mr. Fanservice: In-Universe example. To all the girls in the village, as he's literally Tall, Dark, and Handsome.
- Patient Childhood Love Interest
- Oblivious to Love: To Janet's affections, anyway.
- Old Flame Fizzle: To Hetty. She eventually realises she idolised Jem to the point of not really knowing who the grown-up Jem was, as opposed to the 10 year old she last knew.
- Uptight Loves Wild: The straight-laced, slightly boring Jem loves the crazy, untameable Hetty.
Ida
Ida Battersea/Evie Edenshaw
Debut: Hetty Feather
Ida Battersea/Evie Edenshaw is the mother of the protagonist Hetty Feather. Ida conceived Hetty out of wedlock and was on her own, with no choice but to give up Hetty into the Foundling Hospital. Ida watched Hetty grow up from afar, posing as a cook in the Hospital to help raise her daughter without her knowledge. She eventually dies in Sapphire Battersea of Tuberculosis and Pneumonia, and it is revealed in Emerald Star that her real name is Evie Edenshaw.
- Demoted to Extra: Appears as Hetty's spiritual advisor occasionally after she dies in Sapphire Battersea, and has less of a role in Hetty's life as she gets older.
- Incurable Cough of Death
- Missing Mom: Hetty's main plight in the first novel. They find each other by the end.
- Spirit Advisor: What she becomes to Hetty after her death.
- Too Good for This Sinful Earth: Dies of Consumption.
- Victorian Novel Disease
Madame Adeline
Madame Adeline
Debut: Hetty Feather
Hetty's mentor and Parental Substitute for a long time in the latter books. An ex-circus star, hardened by injury and age, Madame Adeline probably made the largest impact on Hetty's life and was the catalyst for her thirst for fame and glory.- Ascended Extra: Became far more important to the story in the latter half of Emerald Star, and was elevated to a main character in Diamond and Little Stars.
- Cool Old Lady: Still performing well into her age, and past her 'prime' as well. She's eventually replaced by a younger horse act the end of Diamond however, which prompts Hetty and Diamond to run away.
- Older Than They Look: When Madame Adeline takes off her red wig and makeup she looks far older.
- Parental Substitute: To both Hetty and Diamond.
Bertie
Albert Briggs
Debut: Sapphire Battersea
A former Butcher's boy turned Music Hall artiste, Hetty and Bertie first met in Sapphire Battersea whilst Hetty worked as a scullery maid. They become romantically involved after reuniting in Little Stars.
- Ascended Extra: Put on a Bus after Sapphire Battersea, returns in Little Stars.
- Betty and Veronica: The Veronica to Jem's Betty to Hetty as Archie.
- The Charmer
- Chivalrous Pervert: Has a wandering eye but genuinely cares about the girls he likes.
- Green-Eyed Monster: At times, especially whenever Jem is mentioned.
- Ladykiller in Love: Gets around a lot and has made a name for himself with the ladies, but wants to settle down with Hetty.
- Old Flame: To Hetty.
Diamond
Diamond/Ellen-Jane Potts
Debut: Emerald Star
A performer sold to the circus by her own father. Small and sweet, Diamond has a timid and loving nature and befriends Hetty at the end of Emerald Star.
- The Baby of the Bunch: Diamond is only 7 or 8 at the time of Little Stars.
- Break the Cutie: Subverted, as although she is beaten often severely Beppo, she still never loses her sunny disposition.
- The Cutie: Although has occasional Bratty Half-Pint moments such as her tantrums, especially in Little Stars.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Comes from a broken home, poverty and serious parental neglect, only to be exploited and sold into the Circus.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Has fine golden hair and is a harmless child.
- Stage Names: Her real name is Ellen-Jane Potts.
- Tagalong Kid
Supporting Cast:
Hetty Feather
Nurse Winnie
Mrs Smith
Mrs Smith
An author who writes stories about destitute children on the streets of Victorian London. She first meets Hetty when she runs away from the Hospital at age 10, and becomes one of her biggest supporters in regards to Hetty's dream of writing.- Demoted to Extra: We basically never see her again after Emerald Star, in which she only played minor role.
- Parental Substitute: Helps Hetty tremendously in her writing and her conditions at the hospital.
- Small Role, Big Impact: Despite making infrequent, small appearances, Mrs Smith starts Hetty's dream of writing, helps get her a job, and reveals Hetty's mother's name for her.
Gideon Smeed
Gideon
Hetty's adoptive brother who grew up both in the same foster home and in the male wing of the Foundling Hospital, along with being one of her closest friends. Cripplingly shy and timid, he joins the army only to be discharged after attempting to kill himself.
- Driven to Suicide: Subverted. He survives the attempt.
- Eye Scream: Shoots himself in the head, making it out alive without his left eye.
- In Touch with His Feminine Side: Gideon is often seen preferring traditionally 'feminine' activities, such as gardening, knitting, sewing, or acting as a caregiver to his foster mother later on in the series. This often causes Gideon to be laughed at or bullied, and is an example of In-Universe Values Dissonance, considering the Victorian era had far more rigid gender roles than today.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran
- Shrinking Violet: Very shy.
Sapphire Battersea
Mrs Briskett/Sarah
Mrs Briskett/Sarah
Hetty's fellow maids.- Defrosting Ice Queen: They warm up to Hetty's presence over time, even attempting to keep hetty's job after her fight with Buchanan.
- Parental Substitute: Both grow fond of Hetty.
Mr Buchanan
Mr Buchanan
An author and Hetty's employer in Sapphire Battersea.- Lack of Empathy: Fires a 14-year-old Hetty despite her potentially becoming destitute as a result, without any reference either.
Emerald Star
Bobbie Waters
Bobbie Waters
- Debut:Emerald Star.
- Beauty Equals Goodness: Handsome and nice.
- Disappeared Dad: For at least 15 years, though justified as he has no idea he had a child.
- Happily Married: To Katherine.
- Lady Killer In Love: Devilishly handsome and got around a lot once, but was in-love with Hetty's mum (or so he says) and his now-wife Katherine.
Katherine
Katherine
Bobbie's wife and Hetty's stepmother.
- Alpha Bitch: See the YMMV.
- Wicked Stepmother: From Hetty's perspective, anyway.
Janet
Janet Maple
- Debut:Emerald Star
- Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Hetty's Veronica, to Jem as Archie.
- Country Mouse: Born and raised in the same village all her life.
- Girl Next Door: Sweet, wholesome and the perfect wife. Just not the wife that Jem wants.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: She is willing to sacrifice losing Jem to Hetty, as long as he's happy, and doesn't even hate Hetty for it.
- Patient Childhood Love Interest: Waited years for Jem (even turning into a joke in the village; the subject of Janet/Jem/Hetty is particularly interesting amongst the village's Gossipy Hens as Hetty overhears some of it.)
Diamond
Diamond's Father
Diamond's Father
An alcoholic and neglectful parent to his children.- Abusive Parents: Incredibly abusive. He sells his daughter.
- Never My Fault: He blames his daughter for his wife's death, even though he forced his daughter to perform for a crowd instead of going straight home with the medicine.
Beppo
Beppo
Diamond's psychopathic master.- Abusive Parents: Teaches his sons the way his father taught him; uses fear and manipulation to get what he wants out of his acts.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Is borderline Ax-Crazy and uses not the most morally-just methods, but does mostly get results from his sons and Diamond.
- Psychopathic Manchild: Acts incredibly child-like with his clown demeanour, which he then weaponises against Diamond and anyone who dares to cross him.
Marvo, Julip and Tag
Marvo, Julip and Tag
Diamond's 'adoptive' siblings and once-rival act. Marvo and Julip are Beppo's biological sons, Tag a runaway.- A Shared Suffering: They all loathe Beppo and have plans to escape one day, in the meantime living in existential hell.
- Diving Save: Marvo catches Diamond during a fall.
- Sibling Rivalry: Mostly on Tag's part; he initially resents Diamond and is incredibly cruel towards her, though grows to care for her towards the end.
- Thicker Than Water: Though not biological siblings, they grow to care for Diamond and one another in the end and help Hetty and Diamond escape from the cirus.
Mr Marvel
Mr Marvel
A Circus veteran and Diamond's confidant.- Vague Age: Lampshaded. Nobody's quite sure how old he is.
Little Stars
Mrs Gibson
Mrs Ruby
Mrs Ruby
The incredibly perceptive and shrewd owner of The Cavalcade, Hetty's boss.- Lack of Empathy: An absurd lack of empathy - firing a Hetty, a teenage girl, who had just been sexually assaulted instead of the perpetrator, Samson, who she sides with because she fancies him and wants to preserve her reputation.
- Mean Boss: Oh yes, she is mean.
Samson
Samson
An incredibly untrustworthy womaniser, Mrs Ruby's 'nephew'. He announces the acts prior to performing.- Dirty Old Man: Though not incredibly old, he is definitely a creep and certainly older than most of the girls he leers at.
- Handsome Lech: Considered handsome, anyway.
- Serial Rapist: Implied.
Marina Royal
Marina Royal
An incredibly successful actress and Hetty's idol.- Redhead In Green: Hetty first sees her wearing a green dress in Maudie's.
