Jimmy is a conscientious, methodical student who decides early in life that he wants to become a novelist. Raised primarily by his adoptive mother, he feels the weight of his unusual origins and his Jewish heritage. Hoping to understand his identity, he studies German and travels to Vienna for a year abroad, stepping out from the protective shadow of his large, talkative family.

Esther is a young woman of Austrian-Jewish heritage whose parents died while fleeing antisemitism. Raised partly at Dr. Larch's orphanage, she grows into an independent adult who rejects societal conventions, such as wearing bras, and seeks out a large tattoo to assert her bodily autonomy. Deeply interested in her roots despite being agnostic, she travels to Europe and Mandatory Palestine to connect with her heritage.

Thomas is the short-statured head of the English department at Pennacook Academy. A progressive thinker from a privileged background, he champions literature as a tool for empathy and regularly challenges the conservative views of his town through public lectures. He is deeply devoted to his wife and applies his pedagogical instincts to both his biological daughters and the orphans his family informally adopts.

Constance works as a librarian at the Pennacook Public Library and shares her husband's love for literature. She grounds her family with a sense of moral certainty and patience, carefully managing the integration of the orphan au pairs into their household. While she holds radical, progressive views, her manner of expression is more measured than her husband's.

Honor is an asexual nursing student who plans her life with careful precision. She forms an intense pact with her adoptive sister to secure a child without engaging in a traditional romantic relationship. Highly protective of her son, she continuously devises elaborate schemes to shield him from hardships like the military draft.

Faith is the oldest of the Winslow sisters and part of the lively, talkative chorus that makes up the family dynamic. She shares her family's progressive values and vocal nature, regularly participating in loud debates about bodily autonomy and social expectations that sometimes embarrass her parents.

Hope is the second Winslow daughter who pursues a career in nursing. She frequently updates her family on medical topics and shares the intense, unbroken bond characteristic of the Winslow sisters. Her professional path directly influences her younger sister's choice to enter the same field.

Prudence is the third Winslow daughter and a practicing doctor. She approaches family discussions with a clinical perspective, often bringing medical terminology into casual conversations. Her medical knowledge frequently informs the family's strategies for protecting their younger members.

Claude is a young, wealthy Parisian student studying in Austria. Small in stature and noticeably foreign to the local Viennese, he faces occasional xenophobic hostility but maintains a fiercely loyal attitude toward his friends. He quickly forms a tight-knit, unconventional household with his roommates.

Jolanda is a tall, cycling-enthusiast student from Amsterdam. She is dealing with a recent breakup when she meets her new housemates, bringing a frank, open energy to the apartment. She treats her living situation as a chosen family, looking out for the others with a maternal protectiveness.

Mieke is a Dutch woman and an aspiring novelist who becomes involved in the roommates' unconventional plans. Though she identifies as lesbian and primarily seeks relationships with women, she considers stepping outside her comfort zone to help a friend secure a safe future.

Irmgard is a single mother living in Vienna who struggles with the responsibilities of raising a young boy in a fatherless home. She harbors entrenched prejudices common to her environment, making her interactions with her international boarders complex. She supplements her income through hidden means to support her family.

Siegfried is a sullen five-year-old boy growing up in a tense household without a father figure. His aggressive play habits initially disturb the adult boarders, but he slowly responds to the attention and care offered by the international students living in his home.

Annelies is an Israeli woman living in Vienna who serves as a German tutor. She takes an active, hands-on approach to her students' lives, pushing them to stand up against local prejudices while taking a distinct interest in the welfare of the children in their building.

Dr. Larch is the eccentric, protective director of the St. Cloud's orphanage in Maine. A skeptic and avid reader, he harbors a hidden dependency on ether to manage chronic pain. He prioritizes the intellectual and cultural needs of the children in his care, actively seeking out families who match their unique backgrounds.

Moshe is a small but powerful Jewish wrestler who relocates to Mandatory Palestine to escape rising hostility in Europe. Nicknamed "Little Mountain," he is dedicated to his sport and agrees to an unconventional arrangement to help a friend start a family.

Chantal is a childhood friend from a large French-Canadian family. She shares specific intellectual interests with her peers and harbors plans to move to Paris, though her connections to her hometown circle remain strong as she enters adulthood.

Arnaud is a local boy and close childhood companion who practices wrestling alongside his friends. He plans a traditional military path as he gets older, creating a natural distance between himself and his more academically inclined peers.

Hildegund is a tall, tattooed woman who frequents the local café circuit in Vienna. She owns a rescue dog with severe anxiety and associates with a rough, xenophobic crowd that stalks the international students.

Hard Rain is an anxious German Shepherd rescue dog named after a popular folk song. Traumatized by past abuse and terrified of thunderstorms, the dog requires a highly specific environment to feel secure and quickly bonds with the international students who offer a calmer atmosphere.

Daniel is an English faculty member at the Pennacook Academy. Well-integrated into the local community, he provides a cultural anchor for young refugees and expresses skepticism toward overseas political movements, preferring the stability of his established American life.

Naomi is a supportive community member who assists new arrivals in finding cultural connections in New Hampshire. Like her husband, she maintains a cautious stance on international relocation efforts.