John is an English portrait photographer and World War I soldier who suffers a severe leg injury at the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Deeply reflective and highly educated, he struggles to reconcile his traumatic wartime experiences with his return to civilian life in Yorkshire. His intellectual curiosity leads him to explore the boundaries between science, photography, and the unseen world, particularly when strange anomalies begin appearing in his developed film.

Helena is a steadfast woman who works in a London bookshop and possesses latent artistic talents. She frequently yearns for the deep, intuitive connection she established with John during their youth. Resourceful and deeply feeling, she discovers an aptitude for painting that initially serves as a practical skill for her husband's business before becoming a conduit for her own emotional expression.

Anna is a dedicated medical worker who spends significant time stationed in overseas conflict zones and field hospitals. Driven by a selfless desire to help others, she voluntarily places herself in dangerous environments to tend to the wounded and displaced. Her altruistic vocation profoundly impacts her family's daily lives, requiring them to constantly adjust to her long absences.

Peter is an Italian-born hatmaker living quietly in Suffolk, England. Raised in a wealthy Piedmont family that manufactured military uniforms, he embraces Marxist ideals and relocates to England to forge his own path away from his family's wealth. He is a deeply caring father who constantly worries about the dangerous, altruistic lifestyle his wife and daughter pursue.

Mara is a dedicated doctor and aid worker who follows directly in her mother's professional footsteps. Working in dangerous Middle Eastern conflict zones, she develops a fierce passion for justice and a strong intolerance for the comfortable complacency of life in England. She balances her harrowing medical calling with deep familial ties in Suffolk.

Alan is a British foreign correspondent who covers harrowing conflicts in the Middle East. Overwhelmed by his inability to capture the true devastation of war in his writing, he gradually steps away from investigative journalism. He finds profound understanding in his relationship with Mara, though her continued medical missions cause him immense anxiety.

Lia is a young widow living in Sceaux, France, with a keen interest in theology and Charles Darwin's theories of evolution. Mourning the loss of her husband, she maintains an open, intellectually curious mind. A chance encounter with a mysterious photographer in the winter woods profoundly alters the course of her family's lineage.

Paavo is a talented composer who subtly weaves forbidden spiritual hymns into his state-sanctioned choral music. Operating under the oppressive scrutiny of Soviet minders, he uses his assigned movie soundtracks and concert pieces to express the hidden spiritual longing of his culture. His artistry relies heavily on his deep love for his wife.

Mr. Stanley is an aloof photography assistant with a quick mind and a strong talent for lighting. Claiming to be an army veteran, he frequently flaunts his leftist politics while harboring contempt for John's high-minded ideals. He pushes the studio toward the controversial practice of "spirit photography."

Graham Rhys is a world-famous "miniaturist" painter who takes a sudden, intense interest in Helena. Believing that physical nudity exposes a subject's hidden psychological vulnerabilities, he hires the 60-year-old Helena to model for him. He is a cagey artist who carefully guards his own internal truths while demanding absolute exposure from others.

Sofia is the musically inclined wife of Paavo, serving as a vital cultural conduit by whispering old, forbidden hymns to her husband in bed. She suffers from vivid, terrifying nightmares that reflect the intense pressure of living under an oppressive regime, often dreaming of turbulent seas.

Aimo is the son of Paavo and Sofia, whose early life is heavily marked by political tension and displacement. As an adult living in Finland, he experiences a powerful surge of memory and longing upon spotting a former lover, demonstrating the persistence of romantic connections across time.

Marcus is a French-Polish pharmacist and the son of a renowned scientist. He possesses a gentle, forgiving demeanor, recognizing and silently honoring his famous customers rather than joining in public gossip. Later in life, he becomes a close, comforting fixture in Peter's household.

Sandor is Peter's old friend and a talented painter whose artwork hangs in Peter's family home. Alongside his brother Marcus, he forms an essential part of Peter's chosen family in Suffolk, offering steady companionship and understanding during difficult, anxious times.

Eugène is a Polish scientist who moves in the same academic circles as Marie and Pierre Curie. A passionate and intellectually vibrant man, he leaves a lasting impression on his wife and his sons, Marcus and Sandor. His memory continues to strongly influence the choices of those he leaves behind.

Helen James is a local woman who holds a deep fascination with the scientific theory of evolution. She regularly walks through the Suffolk woods wearing her late father's repaired hat. She possesses a serene, intuitive belief in the physical presence of unseen forces closely layered over the natural world.

Marie Curie is a brilliantly accomplished scientist holding two Nobel Prizes, temporarily fleeing France to escape a devastating public scandal regarding her personal life. Exhausted by intense press scrutiny, she seeks quiet refuge on the southern coast of England to regain her emotional equilibrium.

Hertha Ayrton is an English physicist, suffragist, and widow who acts as a fierce protector for her embattled friend. She is deeply committed to shielding women from the limiting, patriarchal expectations of society, providing a vital source of comfort and progressive thought.

Gillies is a fellow soldier of John's who serves during World War I. Described as friendless and orphaned, his bleak situation contrasts sharply with those who have strong family ties waiting at home. He carries poignant memories of hospital nurses singing to the wounded.

Anna is the daughter of Mara and Alan, carrying her grandmother's name into the next generation. Living in Finland in 2025, she retains a strong, instinctual connection to her past. A chance encounter outside a café proves that the family's pattern of powerful, sudden emotional connections remains intact.