Arthur is an author approaching his fiftieth birthday, recognizable by his ever-present tailored blue suit and persistent sense of professional inadequacy. He orchestrates a sprawling, somewhat haphazard journey around the globe by accepting a series of mediocre literary invitations. His primary motivation for this extensive travel is to physically remove himself from the United States, thereby avoiding the wedding of his younger ex-lover. He published a moderately successful first novel years ago, but his recent work has been rejected by his publisher.

Freddy is Arthur's younger ex-boyfriend, with whom Arthur shared a fluctuating fifteen-year relationship. He is the adopted son of Carlos Pelu and is currently preparing to marry another man. Freddy represents Arthur's lost youth and lingering heartbreak, serving as the emotional anchor that Arthur constantly tries to avoid thinking about while traveling.

Robert is a highly acclaimed, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and a central figure of the Russian River School. He dated Arthur for many years, beginning when Arthur was just twenty-one years old. Older and established, Robert provided Arthur with his entry into the literary world but also cast a shadow over Arthur's own modest career. He currently suffers from declining health in an assisted living facility in Sonoma.

Carlos is Freddy's wealthy adoptive father and a resort owner with properties in India. He has maintained a decades-long adversarial relationship with Arthur, viewing him with a mixture of envy and disdain. When Arthur visits India, Carlos controls his accommodations and itinerary.

Bastian is a young German man who begins a brief relationship with Arthur while Arthur teaches a five-week writing course. He gives Arthur the nickname "Peter Pen" due to Arthur's childlike grasp of the German language and erratic behavior.

Zohra is a Moroccan-born woman who grew up in England. She celebrates her fiftieth birthday exactly one day before Arthur celebrates his. She shares a commiserating bond with Arthur as they discuss failed relationships, getting older, and the physical breakdown of their travel companions during a desert excursion.

Lewis is an old friend of Arthur's who attends Zohra's birthday trip. He shocks Arthur by revealing that he is amicably divorcing his husband after two decades of marriage, casually ending what Arthur considered the ultimate proof of lasting gay relationships.

Mohammed is a highly educated Moroccan tour guide who leads the group into the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara. He eventually reveals himself to be an aspiring writer and a genuine fan of Arthur's early literary work.

Javier is a Spanish man who strikes up a flirtatious conversation with Arthur during a Parisian dinner party. He is unhappily married and lives apart from his husband in Madrid. He shares a brief connection with Arthur before Arthur leaves for the airport.

Marian is Robert's ex-wife. Arthur first met her shortly before initiating an affair with her husband. Despite the affair and the subsequent divorce, she remains closely connected to Robert's life, helping care for him in his old age.

Hans is a local German university assistant assigned to help Arthur settle into his apartment and teaching schedule. He introduces Arthur to the local social scene and becomes increasingly morose as Arthur starts spending time with Bastian instead of him.

Mandern is a wildly successful science fiction author whose fame and book sales vastly eclipse Arthur's. Arthur agrees to interview him for free as the first stop on his global tour, ultimately having to carry the event while Mandern vomits repeatedly.

Finley is an intoxicated writer whom Arthur recognizes from previous, less glamorous literary events. At the party, Finley bluntly criticizes Arthur's writing, telling him that the gay press ignores his books because he is a "bad gay" who writes unflattering characters.

Arturo is a local writer assigned to escort Arthur during the Mexican literary festival. Since the festival events are entirely in Spanish, he takes Arthur on tours of ancient ruins, markets, and subways to occupy the time.

Rupali is the polite manager of the Christian retreat center in India where Arthur attempts to finish his novel. She tries to accommodate Arthur's needs amid the noisy and distracting environment, unaware that he finds the location entirely unsuited for writing.

Peter is Arthur's literary agent who delivers the unfortunate news that Arthur's publisher has passed on his latest manuscript. He encourages Arthur to spend his global trip editing the book.