Destiny serves as the omniscient narrator of the story. Rather than an abstract concept, Destiny speaks in the first person, observing the timeline of human history and the artificial borders people create. Destiny views the characters' struggles with a broad perspective, pointing out the continuous cycle of helpers and hunters in the world.

Tareq is a teenage Syrian boy whose life is upended by the violent conflict in his country. Once an obedient child in a comfortable home, he is forced into the harrowing role of a refugee. He struggles with leaving his homeland and feels the heavy burden of responsibility for his surviving family members.

Alexia is a college student from Connecticut who defers a semester to volunteer on the Greek islands. The descendant of immigrants and refugees herself, she feels a personal calling to assist the boats of displaced people arriving from Turkey. She spends her days pulling rafts ashore and providing dry clothing and initial guidance to the new arrivals.

Fayed is Tareq's father, a man forced to make unimaginable choices to protect his family. He transitions from a typical shopkeeper and father into a desperate protector traveling through checkpoints. He prioritizes the safety of his children above all else, even if it means making immense personal sacrifices.

Susan is Tareq's four-year-old sister. She represents innocence amid the chaos of the Syrian civil war and the subsequent refugee journey. Sweet and young, she carries a doll everywhere she goes, serving as a constant source of motivation for her father and older brother to keep moving forward.

Musa is Tareq's cousin, just a year younger than him. Despite his age, he is keenly observant and highly knowledgeable about the factions and ideologies driving the war. He proves adaptable, quick to pick up new languages, and acts as a reluctant refugee who accompanies Tareq's family out of Syria.

Salim is the second oldest of the children in Tareq's family. He shares a close bond with his siblings, especially his sisters, whom he deeply loves. Following a devastating attack on the family home, his situation becomes a source of immense grief and unanswered questions for his relatives.

Nour is Tareq's mother. She creates a warm, loving household for her large family, striving to shield her children from the harsh realities of the brewing political and religious conflicts surrounding them.

Farrah is one of Tareq's younger sisters. She is a beloved member of the large, bustling household in Syria before the war shatters their peace. Susan holds her in such high regard that she names her doll after her.

Ameer is one of Tareq's five-month-old twin brothers. He represents the purest innocence of the family, completely unaware of the surrounding dangers of the Syrian conflict.

Sameer is the other five-month-old twin in Tareq's family. Along with Ameer, he is a helpless infant caught in the unpredictable violence of the war.

Uncle Waleed is Fayed's brother. Living in the Daesh-controlled city of Raqqa, he nervously navigates the oppressive new laws while attempting to help his brother's family. He provides the crucial financial support needed for them to plan an escape to Turkey.

Aunt Nada is Uncle Waleed's wife and Musa's mother. She shares a deep bond with Tareq's mother, treating her like a sister. She tries to offer comfort to Tareq despite the visible toll the war has taken on her own health.

Shams is the daughter of the family living next door to Uncle Waleed. Because of her youth and beauty, her parents fear she will be forced into marriage by militants, prompting them to send her away to relative safety with Fayed's group.

Asil is Shams's sister. Like her sister, she is sent away from her home in Raqqa by her parents, who are desperate to protect her from the dangerous fundamentalists controlling the city.

Jamila is a young refugee from Afghanistan fleeing the Taliban. Born into a life of constant conflict, she is initially wary of men due to her experiences. She forms a connection with Tareq after noting his protective behavior toward his little sister.

Najiba is an Afghan refugee traveling with her sister, Jamila. Having lived her entire life in the shadow of war, she hopes to reach an aunt in Germany. She is fiercely protective of her sister as they make the dangerous crossing.

Abu Laith is a Syrian smuggler operating in Turkey. Like many in his illicit profession, he profits from the desperation of refugees, orchestrating perilous boat journeys across the Aegean Sea for those who can afford his fees.

Annis is an older Greek woman who works at a local coffee shop. She represents the perspective of the island's locals, sympathetic to the refugees due to Greece's own history of displacement, but highly critical of the aid organizations that exploit the crisis for money.

Ahmed is a brave rescue worker in Syria. He digs Tareq out from beneath a slab of concrete and provides comfort during a terrifying moment, serving as the story's first clear example of a selfless helper.

Rami owns a coffee shop in Istanbul that serves as a community hub for displaced Syrians. He holds strong political opinions based on his family's traumatic past but shows immense generosity by feeding Tareq and Musa when they have no money.

Shayma works at a coffee shop in Istanbul and is deeply connected to her Syrian roots. She writes and recites moving poetry about the loss of their homeland, which touches the hearts of the refugee community.

Dr. Kassem is a Syrian refugee and physician making the dangerous crossing to Europe with his wife. When tragedy strikes on the journey, he steps up to care for the vulnerable and demonstrates profound compassion for those left orphaned by the sea.

Joel is an Australian volunteer working at the transit camps in Greece. He assists Alexia in providing meals and hot drinks to the newly arrived refugees, working to bring them small comforts in a harsh environment.

Siddiqa is a volunteer originally from Afghanistan who has lived in New York for decades. Familiar with the risks facing refugees, she provides crucial warnings to Tareq and Alexia about the human traffickers operating around the camps.

Dean is Siddiqa's son. He steps in to help Tareq and Alexia during a moment of severe crisis, providing transportation and technical support when they desperately need to locate someone.