Characters Reminders of Him Colleen Hoover

Diem Landry: The Heart of Reminders of Him

Overview

Diem Landry is the four-year-old daughter of Kenna Rowan and the late Scotty Landry. Raised by her paternal grandparents, Grace and Patrick, Diem lives in a world shaped by a tragedy she is too young to understand. She is presented as a bright, imaginative child who uses storytelling to make sense of her life. Her name—a shortened form of carpe diem—reflects her mother’s hopeful intention, and throughout the novel Diem becomes the symbolic bridge between Kenna’s past and her future.

Role in the Plot

Diem is the central figure around whom the entire conflict revolves. Kenna’s primary goal after leaving prison is to reunite with her daughter, but the Landrys—especially Patrick and Grace—are fiercely protective of Diem and keep Kenna at a distance. Ledger Ward, Scotty’s best friend, initially shares that protective stance but gradually becomes the key negotiator between Diem’s two worlds.

Diem’s role is largely passive in terms of plot mechanics—she does not drive events—but her presence defines every character’s choices. Kenna’s desperation, Ledger’s moral awakening, and the Landrys’ resistance all orbit Diem’s well-being. Her innocence humanizes the conflict; she is the one character who has done nothing wrong yet stands to lose the most.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Diem is motivated by simple childhood needs: love, attention, and security. She accepts the story Grace tells her—that her mother does not live with them because her car is too small—without deeper suspicion. This shows both trust and a limited understanding of adult reality.

Her most prominent trait is a vivid imagination. In Chapter 9, she tells Ledger she ate a baby dragon from Walmart, cooked with salt and shampoo. In Chapter 23, during her dance recital, she ignores the routine and instead recreates moves from The Greatest Showman. These moments indicate a child who processes the world through play and fantasy, likely as a coping mechanism for the gaps in her family story.

She also demonstrates loyalty and empathy. She insists on wearing her red cowboy boots to baseball, and she names her turtle after Ledger. When Patrick punches Ledger in Chapter 37, Diem cries and reaches for him, showing she distinguishes between the people she loves and the adults’ conflicts.

Chronological Arc

Diem’s arc is a journey from protected ignorance to controlled awareness. At the start, she knows only that her mother lives elsewhere because of a car. Through small questions—asking if her mother will come to games, wondering if she should give her mother flowers on Mother’s Day—she begins to piece together a larger truth.

In Chapter 33, she asks Ledger directly about giving flowers to “my mother that isn’t here. The one in the small car.” This is her first public acknowledgment of Kenna as a real person. By the Epilogue (Chapter 44), Diem is seven and living primarily with her grandparents but spending time with Kenna and Ledger twice a week. She has accepted Kenna’s presence and even asks for a sibling, showing that her world has expanded without losing its foundation.

Relationships

With Ledger: Diem calls him by his first name and treats him as a beloved guardian. He accompanies her to baseball, helps her with boots, and gives her piggyback rides. Their bond is built on routine and trust; she falls asleep wrapped around his neck, and he calls her “D.” Ledger’s decision to advocate for Kenna is motivated partly by his love for Diem and his desire to see her have a complete family.

With Grace and Patrick: Grace is “Nana” and Patrick is “NoNo.” They provide structure and love, but they also shield her from painful truths. Their protection, while well-intentioned, creates the mystery that Diem gradually tries to solve.

With Kenna: Their relationship unfolds indirectly. Kenna watches Diem from afar, writes letters to Scotty about her, and eventually gains limited access. The cross scene in Chapter 43—where Kenna and Diem together place a wooden memorial at the accident site—is their first meaningful bonding moment. Diem accepts Kenna naturally, asking if she can “grow another baby” in her belly.

With Scotty (deceased): Diem has no memory of her father but knows his name. She briefly wonders if placing the cross will make him happy, but she has no emotional reference for loss. Scotty exists as a story, not a wound.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Diem does not make autonomous adult decisions, but several moments define her trajectory:

  • Asking about her mother’s car: This forces Grace to mislead her with the “small car” excuse, which later unravels when Diem sees Kenna’s actual vehicle.
  • Naming her turtle after Ledger: A small act of affection that symbolizes how central Ledger is to her life.
  • Witnessing Patrick punch Ledger: This violent event shakes her sense of security and forces Grace to take her inside, deepening the family rift.
  • Helping place the cross: By choosing to participate, Diem takes her first step into understanding her parents’ history, and she implicitly accepts Kenna’s role in her life.

Theme/Symbol Connections

Diem embodies the theme of innocence in a story dominated by guilt and grief. She is the reason Kenna fights for redemption and the reason Ledger risks his relationships. Her name, carpe diem, is a call to seize the day—a direct contrast to the Landrys’ pattern of holding onto the past.

She also connects to motherhood: Kenna’s identity as a mother is the core of her arc, and Diem is both the object of that love and the proof that Kenna can be forgiven. The grief and guilt of Scotty’s death are filtered through Diem’s well-being; Patrick and Grace’s refusal to let Kenna near her is rooted in their own trauma. Diem’s acceptance of Kenna ultimately enables second chances.

Symbolically, the turtle Diem names after Ledger suggests slow, steady trust. The cross she helps plant is a literal marker of truth—the place where grief and hope coexist.

Questions and Answers

1. Why does Diem believe her mother needs a bigger car? Grace told her that lie in Chapter 11 when Diem first asked why she didn’t live with her mother. It was a panicked explanation that seemed easier than explaining prison to a four-year-old.

2. Does Diem ever meet Kenna before the end of the novel? Yes, but indirectly. Kenna watches her from a distance and eventually spends time with her. The first direct interaction shown is in Chapter 43, when they place the cross at the accident site together.

3. How does Diem react to the fight between Patrick and Ledger? In Chapter 37, she runs out crying and reaches for Ledger, wanting to go with him. She is visibly upset by the violence, and Grace carries her inside.

4. What does Diem want for her future? She expresses a desire to be an actress in cartoons, and later tells Kenna she wishes for a little sister or brother. By the epilogue, Kenna has given birth to a son named Scotty, so that wish is partially fulfilled.

5. How does Diem’s relationship with Kenna evolve by the epilogue? By age seven, Diem lives primarily with Grace and Patrick but sees Kenna daily and stays overnight twice a week. She has accepted Kenna as her mother and even jokes about how babies are made, showing a normal, affectionate bond.

For a deeper look at how these relationships resolve, see the ending explained or browse the questions and answers page for the novel.