Geoffrey is a 60-year-old retired doctor and widower from England. He operates as an amateur literary scholar dedicating his retirement to obsessively researching the life of French author Gustave Flaubert. He frequently travels to France to visit locations connected to the writer, searching for physical connections to the past, such as the stuffed parrot that sat on Flaubert's desk. He is hesitant to share the details of his own personal history, preferring to focus entirely on his literary hero.

A celebrated 19th-century French author who serves as the primary subject of Geoffrey's research. Though long dead, Flaubert functions as a central figure whose life is examined from multiple contradictory perspectives. He is depicted as a brilliant but flawed man who frequently compared himself to bears and camels. His legacy is maintained through his books, letters, and the remaining artifacts of his life.

Geoffrey's deceased wife. Much of her life and the exact nature of her marriage to Geoffrey remains heavily obscured by his hesitance to speak about her on the record. Her absence serves as the emotional foundation for Geoffrey's intense focus on the past. Geoffrey frequently thinks about her while avoiding telling her direct story.

A famous poet and a married woman who engaged in a passionate relationship with Flaubert. Older than Flaubert when they met, she views him with a mixture of deep affection and sharp critique. She is fully aware of his personal flaws, noting his hypocrisies and his frequent attempts to humiliate her regarding her own writing.

An American academic who shares Geoffrey's interest in Flaubert's life, specifically focusing on the mysterious Juliet Herbert. He purchases a collection of historic letters for a minor sum. He becomes a frustrating figure in Geoffrey's eyes due to his extreme adherence to Flaubert's historical instructions regarding private correspondence.

The enigmatic English governess to Flaubert's niece. She spent a great deal of time in London and holds a contested place in Flaubert's history. Some biographers believe she shared an incredibly close, possibly romantic relationship with the author, making her surviving correspondence highly sought after.

A writer and close associate of Flaubert. He frequently travels with the author and serves as a point of contrast in Geoffrey's literary evaluations, particularly regarding his more conventional approach to politics. He uses steel nibs for writing, contrasting with Flaubert's traditional quills.

Gustave Flaubert's mother. She shares a home with her son at Croisset and is kept purposefully in the dark regarding his romantic escapades. Geoffrey describes her demanding role in the author's daily existence, functioning simultaneously as his nurse, banker, confidante, and critic.

A literary critic whom Geoffrey openly disparages for focusing on trivial mistakes in Flaubert's work, such as the changing color of Emma Bovary's eyes. She represents the academic pedantry that frustrates Geoffrey's passionate approach to literature.

A 77-year-old French academic who possesses extensive, specialized knowledge about Flaubert's history and the various museums associated with him. Dressed almost entirely in tweed, he provides Geoffrey with crucial logistical context regarding the origins of the stuffed birds.

Flaubert's niece. She functions as the closest thing Flaubert has to a daughter. Flaubert takes it upon himself to teach her about literature, though Geoffrey notes that the author advises her poorly in certain areas of life. Juliet Herbert serves as her governess.