Hanna is a highly skilled book conservator from Australia, hired to restore and evaluate the famous Sarajevo Haggadah. She is deeply passionate about preserving the physical history of objects, believing their physical flaws tell an important story. While confident in her profession, she struggles with emotional distance and self-doubt, particularly stemming from her strained relationship with her demanding mother.

Ozren is the kustos (chief librarian) of the National Museum in Sarajevo. He is a brave and dedicated scholar who risked his life to save the Sarajevo Haggadah during a wartime bombing. Haunted by profound personal losses from the recent conflict, he is a complex man attempting to rebuild his life while carrying the heavy grief of his city's destruction.

Sarah is an incredibly successful neurosurgeon working in Boston, known for her expertise with brain aneurysms and her demanding, authoritative presence. A trailblazing feminist in the medical field, she prides herself on her professional struggles and survival in a male-dominated environment. However, her intense career focus comes at the expense of her maternal relationships, leaving her emotionally distant.

Dr. Heinrich is an esteemed German book conservator and expert on ancient Jewish texts. Serving as Hanna's academic mentor, he is an old-world intellectual known for his exquisite dress and vast historical knowledge. He is deeply haunted by his experiences during World War II, carrying the heavy burden of his conscripted work under the Nazi regime.

Lola is a brave and resourceful teenager from a poor Jewish family who works as a laundress. As war descends on her city, she is forced out of her home and joins a group of Partisan resistance fighters, enduring freezing conditions and near-starvation in the mountains. She is driven by deep love for her friends and a desperate will to survive despite the destruction of her community.

Serif is the director of the National Museum during the 1940s. A principled Muslim scholar, he is appalled by the looting of museums and the persecution of Jewish citizens. His strong moral compass leads him to take massive personal risks to preserve both human lives and invaluable cultural artifacts from destruction.

David is a devout Jewish sofer (holy book writer) living in Spain during the terrifying rise of the Inquisition. He dedicates his life to creating sacred texts for his community, including a special manuscript for his nephew's wedding. His quiet, scholarly life is violently disrupted by the political and religious persecution targeting his family.

Ruti is David's daughter, an outwardly timid young woman who harbors immense inner strength. Secretly studying the Zohar and Kabbalah, she possesses a fierce, rebellious devotion to her Jewish faith. As her family faces exile and destruction, Ruti makes bold, perilous choices to preserve both her family's legacy and her spiritual identity.

Zahra is an enslaved Black Muslim artist from North Africa, originally trained in painting and medicine by her scholarly father. Captured and brought to Spain, she uses her extraordinary artistic talents to survive in various households, from a royal palace to a doctor's estate. She yearns deeply for true freedom and connection to her homeland.

Alia is Ozren's young son, critically injured by a deflected bullet during the wartime siege of Sarajevo. His severe medical condition drives much of his father's ongoing trauma and forms a point of tension when Hanna attempts to intervene in his care.

Aida is Ozren's late wife, tragically killed by sniper fire while waiting in a water line during the siege of Sarajevo. She is remembered for her ultimate act of bravery, shielding her child with her own body to save his life.

Isak is a dedicated resistance fighter pushing back against the Nazi forces in the harsh wilderness outside Sarajevo. Despite facing starvation, frostbite, and overwhelming odds, he fights tenaciously for a future he hopes will include a new Jewish homeland.

Ina is Isak's younger sister, a vulnerable member of the Partisan group who suffers from severe illness and fever during their treacherous mountain campaign.

Stela is an Albanian Muslim woman married to Serif Kamal. She is exceptionally kind and welcoming, offering Lola employment and later providing her with a desperate sanctuary when the Jewish community is targeted.

Dr. Hirschfeldt is a Jewish doctor in Vienna specializing in venereal diseases. Though he caters to the aristocratic elite, he is keenly aware of the growing antisemitism that marks him as an outsider. He is a flawed man, balancing a cynical view of his patients with moments of genuine medical empathy.

Mittl is a master bookbinder suffering from late-stage syphilis. Desperate to fund his expensive experimental treatments, he takes advantage of his access to rare artifacts. Despite his craftsmanship, his disease heavily impairs his mind and morals.

Vistorini is an orphaned priest raised by monks, now serving as an Inquisition censor due to his linguistic skills. He struggles with alcoholism and repressed childhood trauma, leading him to wield his power erratically over the texts he is meant to review.

Aryeh is a Jewish rabbi living in 17th-century Venice who struggles with a severe gambling addiction. He attempts to survive the dangerous religious politics of the city while secretly indulging his vices during the Carnivale festivals.

Nura, also known by her Christian name Isabella, is the emira of Seville. A powerful yet captive woman in a gilded cage, she initially resents being painted but eventually forms a deep, secretive bond with her artist.

Netanel is a prominent, wealthy Jewish doctor in Spain. He is a compassionate master who insists on recognizing the humanity of those in his household, refusing to refer to his servants by dehumanizing epithets.

Benjamin is Netanel's young, deaf-mute son. Unable to hear the complex stories and rituals of his Jewish faith, he requires visual aids to understand his heritage, inspiring profound artistic creations.

Raz is a multicultural scientist running a laboratory at the Fogg in Boston. A former colleague and romantic partner of Hanna's from Harvard, he provides crucial scientific analysis that unlocks historical clues, though his personal boundaries occasionally blur.

Aaron is a highly regarded painter and scholar whose brilliant artwork leaves a lasting legacy. His hidden past forms a crucial piece of a complex family history that is slowly uncovered by the next generation.

Reuben is David's son who converted to Christianity, taking the name Renato del Salvador. His attempt to assimilate and protect himself ironically brings the wrath of the Inquisition down upon his entire family.

Amalia is an experienced entomologist who taught a teenage Hanna the power of passionate observation. She expertly identifies tiny biological clues that help trace historical journeys across Europe.