Lucy is a 60-year-old lifelong resident of Thomaston, New York, who manages a chain of convenience stores with his family. He experiences brief, disorienting episodes he calls "spells," which began after bullies locked him in a trunk during childhood. He possesses a gentle, observant nature, heavily influenced by his parents' opposing worldviews. His memory project forces him to confront his lingering attachment to his childhood best friend.

Robert is a 60-year-old expatriate painter living in Venice who grew up in Thomaston under the name Bobby Marconi. He fled his hometown at age 18 to escape his abusive father and reinvent himself. He suffers from night terrors and unexplained grief. His art frequently features unsettling, dark details that his dealer describes as "all worm."

Sarah is an artist and Lucy's wife of 40 years. She serves as the emotional anchor for her family, guiding her husband away from his fixations on the past. Despite her domestic life in Thomaston, she possesses significant artistic talent that she suppresses in favor of stability. She pushes for the Venice trip following her recovery from a serious illness.

Mr. Marconi is Robert's father, a resentful former soldier who works as a mail carrier. He runs his household with strict military discipline, instilling fear in his wife and son. He fixates on status and harbors a bitter, one-sided grudge against his optimistic neighbor.

Jerzy is a prominent bully from the industrial West End. He enforces a brutal hierarchy among the local boys, imitating greaser fashion with ducktailed hair. His violent tendencies stem from a chaotic home environment.

Big Lou is Lucy's cheerful, large-hearted father. As a local route worker, he firmly believes in the American Dream and the inherent goodness of his neighbors. He purchases Ikey Lubin's failing corner market on faith. His naive generosity frequently puts him at odds with his practical wife and resentful neighbors.

Tessa is Lucy's mother, known for her sharp understanding of Thomaston's class divisions. She acts as the family's social conscience and financial strategist, saving the corner market with a detailed business plan. She offers her family tough, unsentimental love to protect them from failure.

Mrs. Marconi is Robert's mother, a nervous woman trapped in a controlling marriage. She makes periodic, desperate attempts to flee Thomaston, leaning on her young son for emotional support.

Dec is Big Lou's brother. He brings a cynical, sarcastic edge to family interactions, frequently criticizing his brother's business decisions while relying on the family for housing and support.

Hugh is an art dealer who represents Robert's work. He pushes Robert to maintain his provocative edge while managing the logistical and financial aspects of the artist's career.

Gabriel is a Black man who forms an early friendship with young Lucy. He faces the systemic prejudices of Thomaston with quiet endurance, working blue-collar jobs while trying to protect his son.

Gabriel Mock the Third, known as Three, attends school with Lucy and Sarah. As one of the few Black students in Thomaston, he faces severe, unprovoked aggression from his white peers.

Owen is Lucy and Sarah's adult son. He manages the expanding chain of Lynch family convenience stores, carrying on his grandfather's business legacy while dealing with his own marital difficulties.

Brindy is Owen's wife. She struggles with personal grief and a growing disconnect from her husband, leading her to seek fulfillment outside her marriage.

Evangeline runs a struggling art gallery at Campo San Stefano. She engages in an affair with Robert while maintaining a complicated, enduring marriage to her husband.

Todd is Evangeline's husband. He confronts Robert about the affair using physical violence, yet casually accepts his wife's infidelity as part of their long-standing marital dynamic.

Karen is a beautiful, pragmatic teenager who dates Jerzy Quinn for social protection. She uses her charm transactionally, accepting gifts from Lucy while ignoring him in public spaces.

Nancy is Tessa's old friend. She brings chaos to the East End neighborhood due to her profound fear of loneliness, repeatedly taking back her abusive ex-boyfriend against her own interests.

Buddy is a manipulative and abusive man. He exploits Nancy's fear of loneliness, preys on her teenage daughter, and systematically steals from the Lynch family business.

Perry is a follower in Jerzy Quinn's gang who violently enforces the town's unwritten racial codes. He later attempts to establish his own dominance after moving to the East End.

Mr. Berg is Sarah's father. He is an eccentric, demanding teacher who forces his students to confront their assumptions about race and class, deliberately making them uncomfortable to spark intellectual growth.

Nan is a clean, pretty girl from the affluent Borough. She represents the town's upper-class expectations and struggles with severe anxiety regarding her social standing and her parents' volatile marriage.