Cocoa is a 27-year-old woman from the small island of Willow Springs who moves to New York City to establish herself as a business professional. She frequently feels conflicted between her deep Southern family roots and her fast-paced urban environment. She is highly observant and sometimes stubborn in her interactions with others.

George is a 31-year-old orphan who grew up in a Staten Island boys' shelter and later co-founded the Andrews & Stein Engineering Company. He is a pragmatic man who relies on maps, routines, and rational explanations to make sense of the world. He staunchly focuses only on the present and struggles to understand traditions outside of his urban experience.

Miranda is a powerful, elderly woman and a direct descendant of the legendary Sapphira Wade. She functions as a central authority figure and healer in Willow Springs. She utilizes natural remedies and an innate understanding of the island's folklore to help her neighbors, maintaining a deep respect for the natural course of events.

Ruby is a physically imposing woman in Willow Springs with a reputation for utilizing supernatural powers to manipulate others. She is fiercely protective of her romantic interests and acts maliciously toward anyone she perceives as a threat to her relationships.

Bernice is a local woman in Willow Springs who desperately wants to conceive a child. She fears her husband will leave her if she cannot become pregnant. This desperation drives her to seek out both modern medical interventions and traditional remedies from her neighbor.

Sapphira is a mythical ancestor of the Day family, introduced as a young enslaved woman sold in 1819. Local legends claim she possessed immense supernatural abilities, such as the power to control lightning and heal creatures. Her name is considered taboo to speak aloud on the island.

Junior Lee is a local resident in Willow Springs who causes considerable drama due to his romantic entanglements. He frequently relies on women for financial support and lacks personal responsibility, often instigating conflict through his flirtatious behavior.

Abigail is Cocoa's gentle grandmother and Miranda's sister. She helps uphold the Day family traditions in Willow Springs and provides a nurturing presence. She spends her time sewing quilts and co-hosting family celebrations.

Dr. Buzzard is a local bootlegger, con man, and self-proclaimed hoodoo doctor in Willow Springs. He operates just outside the law and enjoys playing tricks on others. His approach to local traditions provides a strong contrast to Mama Day's genuine healing practices.

Ambush is Bernice's husband and a resident of Willow Springs who builds furniture. He cares deeply for his wife and seeks emergency assistance when her attempts to get pregnant lead to a medical crisis.

Dr. Smithfield is the official, licensed doctor and pharmacist who serves the surrounding area. Despite practicing modern medicine, he maintains a mutual professional respect for Mama Day's natural healing methods.

Frances is a local woman in Willow Springs and Junior Lee's girlfriend. She correctly suspects that her romantic rival is using unnatural means to steal him away from her.

Charles, also known as Chick or Little Caesar, is the young son of Bernice and Ambush Duvall. He is heavily spoiled by his mother, leading older members of the community to worry about his upbringing.

Shawn is a woman who works in the same building as George and Cocoa. She and George share a turbulent romantic history marked by stony silences and frequent arguments.

Mrs. Jackson is the harsh, exacting manager of the Wallace P. Andrews Shelter for Boys where George grew up. She instilled a rigid, present-focused philosophy in her wards that heavily influences George's worldview.

Bascombe Wade is a 19th-century man who purchased Sapphira Wade in 1819. Local history asserts he was utterly captivated by her mind and spirit before his mysterious death.

John-Paul is Miranda, Abigail, and Peace's father. He left behind a mysterious ledger detailing the family's complex history in Willow Springs, which later provides crucial information to his daughters.

Peace is the deceased sister of Miranda and Abigail. Her memory serves as a painful reminder of the family's past that Miranda cannot entirely escape.