Elsie is a lonely Haitian American nurse's assistant living in Miami, Florida. Her world is small, largely revolving around her renal-failure patient, Gaspard. She finds it difficult to let go of her past, particularly the painful betrayal by her ex-husband and her former best friend, which has caused her to withdraw socially.

Nadia is a first-generation Haitian American teacher living in Brooklyn. Raised by a single mother, she grew up believing her father abandoned them, fostering deep resentment. Her journey to Miami forces her to engage with the Haitian culture she has long been separated from.

The narrator is a young woman who runs a hotel in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, alongside her husband. She possesses strong maternal instincts, caring not only for her infant son but also acting as a mother figure to her employees. She actively steps in to secure medical care for her ailing nanny.

Mélisande is the young nanny caring for the narrator's infant son. Following a devastating health diagnosis, she relies on her employer's assistance to access medication, bringing out a complex dynamic between her, her mother, and her bosses.

Anika is a young Haitian expatriate and art dealer living in Miami. She creates her own art, specifically sketches of tropical birds. She initiates a reunion with her ex-lover, hoping to reconnect after a seven-month separation, while carrying her own unshared emotional burdens.

Thomas is a Haitian man bearing deep physical and psychological scars from the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Having lost his wife, his daughter, and his leg in the disaster, he suffers from severe post-traumatic stress and struggles to manage the aftermath of his catastrophic loss.

Lucy is a Haitian American college freshman in Miami and the daughter of migrant farm workers. Highly conscious of her family's financial sacrifices, she feels disconnected from her privileged peers and uneasy about the simplistic narratives often attached to her cultural heritage.

Neah is Lucy's privileged college roommate, raised by wealthy academics. Driven by a desire to connect with her Haitian origins, she volunteers with a women's organization but finds herself completely unprepared for the harsh realities she encounters abroad.

Carole is a Haitian American immigrant experiencing the early, undeniable symptoms of dementia. She fiercely guards her declining mental state, believing that as a mother and an immigrant, she should be immune to weakness. She views her American-born daughter's struggles with disdain, unable to bridge the gap between their generations.

Jeanne is Carole's daughter, suffering from severe post-partum depression following a traumatic delivery. She feels entirely disconnected from her infant son and is increasingly frustrated by her parents' refusal to address her mother's obvious memory loss.

Kim is a Brooklyn-based culture writer for an online magazine. She recently published an essay about her childhood memories with a girl who fled political violence. Visiting the island as an adult, she is exposed to the harsh realities of the nation's poverty and the exclusive lives of its political elite.

Callie Morrissette is the wife of a Caribbean prime minister. As a child, she fled the island for Brooklyn after her father's assassination. Now back in her homeland, she balances her role as a polished public figure with the heavy, traumatic history she carries.

Arnold is a Haitian immigrant living in Miami under a fabricated identity. Fleeing misery in his homeland, he survived a horrific journey by sea. As he experiences a fatal workplace accident, time slows, allowing him to reflect on his deep love for his partner and his new family.

Darline is a dedicated advocate who operates as a one-woman aid station for migrants arriving by sea. Having lost her own husband in a similar crossing, she protects new arrivals from law enforcement and helps them find shelter, eventually building a life with Arnold.

Blaise is Elsie's ex-husband and a working musician. He left Elsie for her best friend, completely changing the trajectory of Elsie's life. He reaches out to Elsie in a moment of sheer desperation when he needs money for a ransom, utilizing their shared history to ask for help.

Olivia is Elsie's former best friend and a fellow nurse who entered a relationship with Blaise. Her sudden kidnapping in Haiti prompts a desperate attempt to gather ransom money, forcing Elsie to confront her lingering feelings about their destroyed friendship.

Gaspard is an elderly man suffering from renal failure in Miami. He relies on Elsie as a live-in nurse's assistant for his daily medical and personal needs.

Mona is Gaspard's daughter. She closely monitors the care her father receives and holds strict expectations for the medical staff working in their home.

Dédé is a club owner in Miami and a former close friend of Blaise. He runs the establishment where Elsie, Blaise, and Olivia used to spend their free time together.

Maurice is Nadia's estranged father. He left Brooklyn for Haiti after the end of the Duvalier dictatorship, hoping to help rebuild the country's schools. He was unaware of Nadia's existence until she was a teenager.

Maurice's Wife is a Haitian woman living in Miami who acts as a bridge between Nadia and traditional Haitian culture. She remains dedicated to the spiritual practices of her homeland, sharing these customs with Nadia during a period of intense grief.

Nadia's Mother is a Haitian immigrant who raised her daughter alone in Brooklyn. She focuses entirely on her present life in America, rarely engaging with Haitian culture outside of the food she serves in her restaurant.

Xavier is a hotel owner in Port-au-Prince. He caters to the foreign-born children of Haitians living abroad, driven by a broad desire to expose tourists to Haitian culture and convince them to invest in rebuilding the country.

Babette is the chef at the Port-au-Prince hotel and Mélisande's mother. She is highly critical of her daughter's choices and openly resents the narrator's ability to financially support Mélisande's healthcare.

Wesley is the 11-month-old son of the unnamed narrator and Xavier. His health becomes a primary concern when his nanny is diagnosed with a serious illness.

Neah's Father is a university professor who strongly disapproves of his daughter's decision to drop out of college to pursue volunteer work.

Lucy's Parents are Haitian migrant workers who travel along the Florida and Georgia coasts. They endure harsh living conditions to provide a better future for their daughter, teaching her strict lessons about survival and financial sacrifice.

James is Jeanne's husband. Though he is not religious, he agrees to have their son christened out of respect for Carole's traditions and attempts to maintain peace within the household.

Victor is Carole's husband and Jeanne's father. He works hard to provide for his family and eventually takes steps to address his wife's deteriorating mental condition, despite her paranoia.

Jude is Jeanne and James's infant son. His birth triggers severe post-partum depression in his mother, leaving his care heavily reliant on other family members.

Greg Murray is the recently elected prime minister of an unnamed Caribbean island. He promotes an optimistic, reform-minded view of his nation, though he often defers to his wife's guidance on matters of state.

Charles Morrissette was the island's most famous prime minister before his assassination, an event that forced his family to flee to the United States.

Finance is a prominent government official on the unnamed Caribbean island. As part of the nation's elite social class, he frequently attends exclusive events alongside the prime minister.

Runner is an Olympic athlete native to the unnamed island. She moves in the highest circles of the island's society and plans a lavish wedding in a small coastal town.

Paris is Darline's son, who has developmental disabilities stemming from the traumatic boat accident he survived as a child. He struggles for acceptance at school but finds a loving father figure in Arnold.