Yuri is a young, orphaned boy who grows up to be a physician and poet in early 20th-century Russia. Raised by the wealthy Gromeko family after his parents die, he values his internal, artistic life and views the surrounding political conflict with philosophical detachment. He frequently struggles to make definitive choices, preferring to let circumstances guide him.

Lara is an intelligent and ambitious young woman whose early life is defined by poverty and a desire for independence. Burdened by family debts and the predatory attention of older men, she works hard to carve out an autonomous life. She takes a position as a tutor to escape her circumstances and dreams of a stable, honorable future.

Pasha is an idealistic, earnest young man whose father was exiled for striking. Deeply infatuated with Lara, he dreams of a simple and pure life with her. When confronted with the darker, more cynical realities of the world and Lara's difficult past, his worldview fractures, driving him toward intellectual rigor and military service.

Viktor Komarovsky is a wealthy, unscrupulous, and highly adaptable lawyer who moves easily through the changing Russian society. Driven by self-interest and cold pragmatism, he uses his wealth and influence to control vulnerable people around him. He takes a predatory interest in Lara, using her family's poverty to trap her in an exploitative affair.

Tonya is the daughter of a wealthy, professorial Moscow family who welcomes the orphaned Yuri into their home. Educated in law, she is a steady, dependable presence who manages the family household during times of severe scarcity. She possesses a deep well of patience and attempts to maintain her family's morale as their societal privileges vanish.

Alexander is the head of the wealthy Gromeko family in Moscow. He acts as a surrogate father to Yuri, raising him with the same care and privileges as his own daughter. As the social order collapses, he struggles to adapt to the loss of his family's wealth and status.

Anna is a gentle but anxious woman who takes in the orphaned Yuri. Prone to superstitious fears and chronic illnesses, particularly pneumonia, she frequently seeks spiritual comfort from Yuri. Her declining health deeply impacts the household dynamics as her children approach adulthood.

Nikolai is Yuri's uncle, a former priest who left the clergy to pursue writing and revolutionary politics. He provides early intellectual guidance to Yuri, encouraging him to think deeply about history and art. As the political climate intensifies, he leverages his old connections to align with the emerging Bolshevik movement.

Amalia is a widowed dressmaker striving to support her two children in a precarious economic environment. Overwhelmed by the pressures of poverty and societal unrest, she relies heavily on the financial backing of Komarovsky. Her stress often manifests in severe distress and poor decision-making.

Misha is one of Yuri's closest childhood friends, a frequent visitor to the Gromeko house who studies philology. He witnesses many of the formative events of Yuri's life. As he matures and the revolution strips away his wealth, he loses much of his youthful wit and energy.

Nika is a childhood friend of Yuri and Misha, characterized by early anger over his parents' revolutionary activities and subsequent abandonment. He grows up experiencing the same societal upheavals as Yuri, eventually entering the military.

Evgraf is Yuri's younger half-brother, a quiet and enigmatic figure who seems uniquely adapted to the new Soviet reality. He appears at critical moments to provide Yuri and his family with essential resources, food, and housing. He operates with a quiet efficiency that shields Yuri from the worst of the political crackdowns.

Yusup is a working-class man who grows up in the same neighborhood as Pasha. Following the outbreak of conflict, he enlists and eventually becomes a commander in the White Army. He maintains a sense of camaraderie with his old acquaintances, even as political lines divide them.

Samdevyatov is an energetic, highly connected Bolshevik supporter who acts as a local fixer and supplier in the Ural Mountains. Despite his firm political beliefs, he uses his influence to help people across the ideological spectrum, becoming a crucial lifeline for Tonya and Yuri during their rural exile.