Reader Response #4 - Raven

After finishing Snow Crash and looking back on it and the characters involved I am drawn in by a certain character. Surprisingly the character I found to be the most dynamic and interesting throughout the book was Raven.
The beginning of the book portrays him as a horrible, man killing human being. He his mysterious in every way as well. When he is first introduced in the book you can't figure out who he's working for, how he's killing everyone, and why everyone is so interested in him. Everyone says to avoid him at all costs.
Nearing the end of the book however you see a whole different side to Raven. It starts when Y.T. and Raven are "dating". You find out his background and see more of a human side to Raven rather than just an image of a murder. You find out he is a Aleut. He is very angry about the Russians and the American nuking his town. When he grew up he began working on oil rigs where he was the typical bad boy. On night while having way too much to drink while floating around in the water , Raven floats away and lands on Kosiak Island. The Russian Orthodox church found him, took him and and cleaned him up and that is how he became a part of the Raft. This allows you to see what he has been through that has brought him to where he's at in his life now. It adds more of a humanistic character to Raven.
As the book goes on Raven becomes more and more interesting to me. You find out more as time goes on in the book. Finally near the end it is revealed that it was Hiro's dad and Raven's dad that escaped together. This brought more anger to his character and you can see the pain that Raven deals with when it comes to America and them killing his father.
All around I found his whole story and developing character to be the most interesting in the book. Usually I am person that find the protagonist the most intriguing, but Hiro did not effect me at all.
I'm glad I read the book now I have finished it. It was a book I would have never sat down and read on my own, and it allowed me to experience something I normally wouldn't.