Talia is the fifteen-year-old youngest child of Mauro and Elena. Born in the United States, she grows up in Bogotá under the care of her grandmother after her family faces forced separation. She possesses a fierce intellect and strong survival instincts, which she relies upon during a cross-country escape to reach her father. She frequently reflects on ancient myths and her own inner darkness.

Elena is a practical, hardworking mother who leaves Colombia for the United States on a travel visa, eventually remaining undocumented. She cleans houses and serves as a nanny to support her fragmented family. Separated from her youngest daughter and her husband, she relies on her fierce protective instincts to shield her remaining children from deportation risks.

Mauro is a former street urchin who marries Elena and initiates their immigration to the United States. Following an arrest and deportation, he battles severe alcoholism and crippling remorse in Colombia. He memorizes and shares ancient Andean creation myths, passing them down to his daughter as a way to bond.

Perla is Elena's single mother and the primary guardian of young Talia in Colombia. She governs her household using strict Catholic rituals, indigenous folk beliefs, and cautionary tales. She holds fiercely to her spiritual convictions, even hiring a local folk practitioner to cleanse her home of perceived evil spirits.

Karina is the eldest child of Elena and Mauro, and the only sibling born in Colombia. She struggles intensely with her undocumented status in the United States, battling panic attacks and feelings of alienation. Highly observant and academic, she documents the family's fractured history.

Nando is the middle child of the family and their only United States citizen. He possesses an artistic temperament and relies on drawing to process his difficult surroundings. Despite his legal status, he faces severe harassment from classmates who view him as an outsider.

Aguja is a young Colombian man who agrees to transport Talia partway to Bogotá. He repeatedly threatens to turn around but consistently decides to continue helping her, eventually gifting her a protective religious token.

Lance is a twelve-year-old autistic boy who struggles to connect with his own parents. He bonds immediately with Elena when she arrives to clean the house, prompting his family to hire her as his full-time caregiver.

Ximena is a social worker who guides Mauro into a twelve-step recovery program. She helps him confront his childhood abandonment and initiates his long-term journey toward sobriety.

Dante is an immigrant who assists Mauro and Elena with jobs and shelter upon their arrival in New Jersey. A dispute over stolen wages leads to a physical fight between him and Mauro.

Yamira is Dante's wife and an experienced house cleaner. She trains Elena in the exacting standards expected by their wealthy North American clients.

Charles is a French tourist who offers to drive Talia to Bogotá in exchange for sexual favors. He underestimates Talia, who steals his money and abandons him in the night.

Sister Susana is a strict nun who enforces order at the state-run juvenile facility. She recognizes that Talia possesses a different background than the other inmates but insists on enforcing penance.

Horatio is a local man who callously boils a kitten alive. This act of cruelty provokes a sudden, violent retaliation from Talia.

Tiberio is a gravedigger who shelters Mauro after the boy's mother abandons him. He introduces Mauro to the rich Andean creation myths that eventually shape the boy's worldview.

Jairo is a local mugger who takes a fourteen-year-old Mauro under his wing. He teaches the teenager how to survive the harsh realities of the Colombian streets.

Gema is a Colombian acquaintance of Elena. She accepts the responsibility of carrying the infant Talia across international borders to deliver her safely to Perla.

Toya is a close confidante to Elena during her most difficult times as a solitary worker in the United States. She listens to Elena's traumas but explains the harsh reality of their limited legal recourse.