Sarat is a tall, dark-skinned tomboy growing up in the neutral state of Louisiana during the onset of the war. Intensely observant and fiercely independent, she experiences early trauma that shapes her worldview. At the Camp Patience refugee camp, her defiant streak and refusal to back down from challenges draw the attention of those looking to recruit angry youths for the war effort.

Gaines is a well-dressed, middle-aged former surgeon from New York who volunteers at Southern field hospitals. Despite his Northern origins, he sympathizes with the Rebel movement. He actively looks for angry, disenfranchised youths like Sarat, utilizing a gentle, mentoring approach to teach them history while slowly nurturing anti-Northern sentiment.

Belonging to the "Miraculous Generation" born during the conflict, Benjamin is the son of Simon and Karina. He survives the devastation by moving to the neutral state of Alaska as a young child. As an adult, he becomes a history scholar specializing in the Second American Civil War, piecing together his family's fragmented past to serve as the novel's narrator.

Joe is an operative for the Bouazizi Union, a powerful coalition of democratic states in North Africa and the Middle East. Operating out of pure self-interest for his home nation, he provides military and humanitarian aid to the Free Southern State. His primary goal is to prolong the American conflict to destabilize a rival global superpower.

Martina is a practical, deeply protective mother living in St. James, Louisiana. Harboring no allegiance to the Southern cause, she desperately tries to shield her children from the encroaching violence. When tragedy strikes, she makes the difficult choice to relocate her family to a refugee camp, where she dedicates her time to helping other displaced families.

Simon is Sarat's older brother. Eager for purpose and heavily influenced by the militarized culture surrounding him, he develops a strong desire to join the Virginia Cavaliers militia as a teenager. His pull toward the Rebel movement causes significant friction with his mother, who blames the conflict for their hardships.

Dana is Sarat's fraternal twin sister. Unlike her tomboy sibling, Dana embraces traditional femininity and is considered exceptionally pretty by the residents of Camp Patience. She utilizes her appearance as a survival mechanism, frequently posing for visiting Northern journalists in exchange for cash.

Karina is a practical woman of Bangladeshi descent who becomes closely tied to the Chestnut family. As an outsider to the Southern cause, she views the conflict without ideological blinders, recognizing that war universally breaks people in the same ways. Her grounded perspective makes her fiercely protective of her immediate family circle.

The patriarch of the Chestnut family. Facing the encroaching dangers of the civil war, he attempts to secure a Northern work permit to relocate his family to safety, a decision that abruptly alters the trajectory of his wife and children.

A young boy living in the Camp Patience refugee camp. He becomes Sarat's closest childhood friend, joining her in exploring dangerous areas and daring her into risky situations. His family's desire to flee North highlights the different paths available to the refugees.

The teenage daughter of a hotel owner in Augusta. Adapting to a bustling wartime port town, she manages the chaotic social environment of the South and forms a close, intimate bond with Sarat during a celebratory visit to the city.

A notably cruel guard working at the federal government's island detention facility. He oversees the harsh confinement and punishment of Southern prisoners, implementing extreme interrogation techniques with apparent enthusiasm.

A henchman working for the United Rebels in Atlanta. Unlike many of his peers, he harbors no genuine ideological devotion to the Southern cause, admitting he only picked up a gun out of a desire to simply be something of significance.

The son of the leader of the United Rebels. He represents the next generation of hardline Southern militia leadership, moving confidently through elite rebel circles and facilitating connections between prominent figures in the insurgency.

The top military commander for the Northern forces. He holds a hardline stance against compensating Southerners for accidental drone strikes, believing it is impossible to win over an entrenched enemy through acts of sympathy.

The son of the North's top general. He initially advocates for compensating Southern non-combatants affected by errant military strikes, hoping to shift public perception, but finds his bureaucratic efforts stifled by his superior's cynical worldview.

The owner of a popular hotel and bar in Augusta. She offers a grounded, weary perspective on the conflict, pushing back against romanticized views of the war by reminding younger generations of the true value of peace.

A virologist tasked with finding a cure for the zombie-like "Slow" virus. His desperate, decade-long experiments in the quarantine zone demonstrate the extreme and dangerous measures taken by scientists during the conflict.

The powerful leader of the United Rebels. He successfully unites various fractured militia groups under one banner, promoting a more hardline and aggressive war policy than the official Free Southern State government.