A university student and former political radio show host escaping state violence by sea. He endures extreme heat, thirst, and overcrowded conditions alongside thirty-six other refugees. He uses his letters to maintain a mental connection to his home and his partner.

A young Haitian woman surviving violent raids and social upheaval at home. She watches her family sell their belongings and abandon their house to flee to Ville Rose. She spends her days crushing roaches to release her intense frustration.

A young woman born on the day of the 1937 massacre at the Massacre River. She travels great distances to deliver food to her incarcerated mother, struggling to speak when inside the prison yard.

A survivor of the 1937 massacre who swam across the river while pregnant. She is currently jailed after her neighbors accused her of witchcraft and having wings of flame.

A father living in a shantytown near a sugar mill, where he sits seventy-eighth on a hiring waitlist. He harbors a deep fascination with an old hot air balloon resting on a nearby hill, viewing it as a vehicle for escape.

A practical mother who walks miles to a public fountain to collect water for her family. She worries constantly about her husband's fixation on the hot air balloon and focuses heavily on daily survival.

A twenty-five-year-old sex worker living in Ville Rose. She goes to great lengths to hide her occupation from her child, dressing him in fine clothes and spinning stories about visiting angels.

A domestic worker employed at a wealthy home in Pétion-Ville. Having experienced the trauma of multiple miscarriages and an unfaithful husband, she eagerly takes in the abandoned baby she names Rose, telling the infant stories of her past.

A fourteen-year-old girl raised by her grandmother in Ville Rose. Named for death following her mother's passing, she attempts to safely handle interactions with soldiers using a secret password and her grandmother's practical advice.

A sixteen-year-old girl living in Ville Rose who begins sitting as a model for an older painter. Through these sessions, she learns about artistic theory and begins studying her chaotic neighbors with an artist's eye.

A Haitian American woman who works in an advertising office. She believes her mother is fearful of the city, only to follow her secretly and discover an entirely hidden work life.

A Haitian immigrant living in Brooklyn who keeps her employment as a Central Park nanny a secret from her adult daughter to prevent her from feeling ashamed. She taught herself to read as a child.

A Haitian American woman residing in Brooklyn who acts as a cultural bridge between her traditional mother and her younger sister. Despite obtaining citizenship, she carries her family's lingering anxieties about immigration status.

A Haitian immigrant carrying the trauma of a past workplace immigration raid. She holds tightly to traditional superstitions and struggles to accept her younger daughter's impending marriage.

A fifteen-year-old pregnant girl attempting to survive the perilous sea crossing. She carries deep trauma from a violent raid on her home by the Tonton Macoute.

A desperate father trying to keep his family alive during a time of intense political repression. He sells his property to fund their escape to the countryside.

A neighbor of the female narrator. Her son participates in political organizing, bringing the threat of police violence to their immediate community.

A pregnant woman and fellow survivor of the 1937 massacre. She shares a specific set of rehearsed questions and answers with her friends to verify their identities.

The seven-year-old son of Guy and Lili. He spends his evenings memorizing and reciting complex, formal lines detailing the history of the Haitian revolution.

A young boy growing quickly, sleeping behind a thin fabric partition while his mother works. He expects angelic visitors each night based on his mother's stories.

A doctor who visits the narrator twice a week, bringing flowers and acting as though he is courting her rather than paying for her services.

An abandoned, unresponsive infant discovered by Marie. The baby smells like the gardenias surrounding the wealthy estate where Marie works.

An employee at the suburban house who cleans the pool and previously shared a brief physical encounter with Marie.

A stern guardian who dispenses constant adages about survival and behavior. She attempts to keep her granddaughter safe from the surrounding military presence.

A young soldier recovering from a leg wound. He provides Lamort with what he claims is a protective password to use at checkpoints.

A young American woman visiting Ville Rose in search of her missing mother, Isabelle. Empowered by her upbringing, she lacks the specific survival instincts required to safely travel the militarized town.

A soldier who enforces curfews and demands absolute submission from civilians, openly threatening those who challenge his authority.

A twenty-seven-year-old artist from Guadeloupe who paints Princesse on her veranda. She shares stories of her own time modeling in Paris and teaches Princesse about light and portraiture.

A belligerent neighbor deeply involved in local cockfights. His aggressive behavior eventually becomes a subject of study for Princesse's evolving artistic perspective.

Grace's younger sister, born in the United States without a left forearm. She is preparing to marry her fiancé, asserting her independence while handling her mother's disapproval.

Caroline's fiancé, whose presence creates tension within the tightly knit household as the wedding day approaches.

The deceased patriarch who originally brought the family to America. His presence is heavily felt in his daughters' dreams, and his past choices regarding marriage remain a sensitive topic for his widow.