A transgender man and doctor living in 21st-century England. Content with his physical form, he identifies as a hybrid of masculinity and femininity while operating within the modern fields of artificial intelligence and cryogenics. He provides body parts for a transhumanist scientist's experiments and frequently encounters transphobia from those who misunderstand his identity.

A 19th-century author and intellectual who conceives the novel *Frankenstein*. The daughter of feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, she defends women's intelligence and autonomy against the chauvinism of her male peers. She endures financial struggles and profound personal grief while contemplating the philosophical weight of creating a story about reanimating the dead.

A dual presence in the narrative representing the relentless pursuit of progress and reanimation. In the 1816 timeline, Victor Frankenstein is the titular character of Mary's novel who mysteriously appears as a patient in a London asylum. In the modern timeline, Victor Stein is an ambitious transhumanist scientist striving to upload human consciousness into digital forms, attempting to entirely eliminate the human need for physical bodies.

Two figures representing different eras of technological disruption and male chauvinism. Lord Byron is a wealthy 19th-century Romantic poet who dismisses women's intellect while still supporting the Shelleys financially. Ron Lord is a modern-day entrepreneur who manufactures robotic companions for lonely men, viewing his synthetic creations as a convenient solution to complex human relationships.

Parallel characters existing on the fringes of the main action. Polidori is Byron's 19th-century physician who echoes his employer's sexism and harbors an unrequited fixation on Mary Shelley. Polly D is a modern journalist investigating sexism in the tech industry, fiercely fearful of artificial intelligence and its implications for human society.

A triptych of characters defined by their relationships to male-dominated spaces. Claire Clairmont is Mary Shelley's stepsister and Byron's mistress, adhering strictly to 19th-century expectations. In the modern era, Claire is an event coordinator and devout Christian who eventually becomes the CEO of a robotics company. The third Claire is a literal machine programmed strictly for companionship.

Mary Shelley's husband and a notable 19th-century Romantic poet. He is supportive of Mary's intellect and shares her philosophical interests, exploring concepts of alchemy and reanimation. He struggles with fidelity but maintains a deep bond with his wife.

Lord Byron's legitimate daughter and a brilliant mathematician. She works alongside Charles Babbage on the Analytical Engine, envisioning a future where machines could hold all human knowledge or even replicate the human mind.

A deceased codebreaker and statistician who once worked alongside Alan Turing. Born Isadore Jacob Gudak, he fled prejudice to become a leading voice in artificial intelligence, leaving his cryogenically preserved head as the subject of extreme scientific experiments.

An employee at the Saint Mary of Bethlehem hospital in 1818 London. He tends to the inmates and questions the line between genuine mental illness and the terrifying truths of his patients, overseeing a mysterious arrival from the ice.

The CEO of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation. He manages the preservation of deceased individuals for future resurrection and fields unorthodox business proposals from ambitious tech entrepreneurs.

A sea captain who encountered a massive figure driving a sledge across the ice, followed by an exhausted pursuer. He rescues the exhausted man and delivers him to the asylum for medical care.