Born to an upper-middle-class British family at Fox Corner in 1910, Ursula is a sensitive, observant girl who repeatedly experiences death and rebirth. She retains a vague sense of foreboding from her previous lives, prompting her to act strangely to protect herself and her loved ones. She grows into a curious young woman seeking her place in a rapidly changing world, looking beyond traditional domestic roles.

Ursula's mother is a clever, opinionated woman who fiercely guards her middle-class domestic stability. Having lost her comfortable lifestyle when her artist father died in debt, she romanticizes marriage and motherhood as a woman's highest calling. In practice, her attention to her children is sometimes uneven, and she grows increasingly strict as the years pass.

The patriarch of the Todd family and a banker by trade. Hugh is a cheerful, dependable man who provides financial and emotional stability for his household. He views his upcoming participation in the Great War as a noble adventure, maintaining a stoic, decent exterior that his children greatly admire.

Ursula's younger brother and undeniably Sylvie's favorite child. Teddy is good-natured and intensely loyal. He is universally cherished by his family and represents a kind, decent idealism, sharing his father's gentle disposition and remaining a central source of love for Ursula across her varied experiences.

Hugh's free-spirited and pleasure-seeking younger sister. Rejecting the traditional path favored by Sylvie, she lives as an independent woman in London, writing a column and enjoying a fast-paced lifestyle. She acts as a worldly mentor to Ursula, actively encouraging her to embrace life's pleasures rather than settling for domestic boredom.

Ursula's eldest brother, an entitled and thoughtless boy who grows into a smug, overbearing young man. He expects the privileges afforded by his class and gender, casually mistreating his sisters while prioritizing his own social and professional advancement.

A retired hospital matron who serves as a senior warden for an Air Raid Precautions team. With her iron-gray hair pinned in a neat bun, she maintains strict authority and morale among the volunteers. She provides Ursula with a powerful model of fortitude, duty, and calm during periods of intense destruction.

Ursula's older sister, a steadfast and practical presence in the Todd family. Often the voice of reason among the siblings, she embraces a more traditional life, eventually settling into domesticity and becoming a reliable anchor for Ursula as they move into adulthood.

The Todds' young Irish maid, who begins working for the family at age fourteen. A loyal and hardworking member of the household staff, she harbors a superstitious nature. Ursula feels a strong, protective instinct toward Bridget, particularly when sickness threatens the household.

The reliable cook at Fox Corner. She runs the Todd family kitchen with efficiency and deep care for her own son, observing the changing times and the impacts of the Great War from her post in the domestic sphere.

Mrs. Glover's son, a robust and kindly young man who works with the local Shire horses. He gives the Todd children baby rabbits and represents the healthy, pastoral English life before his military service alters his trajectory.

A psychiatrist treating patients affected by trauma. He brews tea from a Russian samovar and introduces Ursula to concepts like reincarnation and accepting one's fate, helping her contextualize her strange premonitions.

A neighborhood girl who becomes Teddy's childhood sweetheart. Sweet and conventionally middle-class, she represents an idealized, innocent life that Teddy wishes to protect.

A schoolteacher who meets Ursula by chance and quickly marries her. Outwardly respectable, he writes textbooks and projects an image of stability, though his rigid and controlling nature soon emerges within the confines of their home.

The historical leader of the Nazi party. In Ursula's varied experiences, he becomes a focal point of her growing awareness regarding global disaster, prompting her to attempt dangerous, direct interventions to alter the course of history.

A German woman who befriends Ursula during her travels. She enjoys taking photographs and eventually invites Ursula into her partner's inner circle at a mountain retreat in the Alps.

An older, married government worker who carries a gold cigarette case from the Battle of Jutland. He becomes romantically involved with Ursula as the threat of war looms over London, representing a brief search for meaning amid the chaos.

A local boy from the village who orbits the Todd family's life across several decades. He eventually joins the emergency services during the Blitz, sharing occasional dances and brief, quiet moments of connection with Ursula.

The youngest Todd sibling, who grows up observing the bustling dynamics of Fox Corner from the periphery. He eventually serves in the military, sharing grim realities of the global conflict with Ursula when he visits London.

A young messenger boy who assists the Air Raid Precautions team. He works in incredibly dangerous conditions, serving as a vulnerable member of the squad.

Isobel's biological son, who is adopted and raised by Sylvie at Fox Corner. He is a sweet-natured boy who struggles intellectually compared to the other children, requiring extra supervision during family outings.

A lively German friend who hosts Ursula during her travels through Europe. She introduces Ursula to her wider social circle and the rapidly changing political climate of her country.

A handsome, blonde German man whom Ursula meets and swiftly marries during her time abroad. He pays lip service to the growing political movement in his country while building a domestic life with Ursula.

The daughter of Ursula and Jürgen. She suffers from poor health, particularly damaged lungs, prompting her parents to seek cleaner air for her recovery.

A young man who courts Bridget after returning from the Great War. He wears a tin mask over half his face due to severe combat injuries, serving as a physical reminder of the conflict's toll.

An artist who happens to be painting nearby when Ursula and Pamela wade into dangerous waters. He acts quickly to rescue the girls from the sea, demonstrating the thin line between life and death.

The local physician who attends to the Todd family. His timely arrival during Ursula's birth proves critical, establishing the recurring theme of minute chance altering the course of a life.

Ursula's roommate and friend in London. She shares the daily struggles of rationing and blackouts during the Blitz, providing companionship in an otherwise bleak environment.

A young woman who lives in the same building as Ursula in London. She crosses paths with Ursula during air raids and holds a mysterious connection to a gold cigarette case.

One of the Nesbit sisters living in Ursula's building. She wears a distinctive enamel brooch shaped like a black cat with a rhinestone eye, an item that becomes seared into Ursula's memory.

The man who runs the secretarial college Ursula attends. He displays inappropriate behavior toward his students, making them wear blindfolds and touching them without consent.