Karim is a seventeen-year-old boy from Beirut, Lebanon, currently living in Montreal. He is tall and thin with dark skin and a quiet reserved demeanor that his peers mistake for noble heroism. Prior to his displacement, he was a diligent student studying for his baccalaureate exam in a city torn by civil war. He deals with the trauma of violence and uses his diary to record his disconnect from Western consumerism and his struggle to process his grief.

Maha is a precocious highly intelligent twelve-year-old girl living in Beirut. Small for her age and possessing unusually large eyes, she is known by adults in her community as a rebellious child who refuses to conform to expectations. She is fiercely independent and deeply dedicated to protecting her baby brother. She chooses to travel the dangerous mountain terrain rather than face placement in an orphanage.

Dave is a prejudiced and aggressive high school student in Montreal. He resents the attention Karim receives from female students and frequently mocks Karim's race and sexuality. His intolerance and entitlement eventually result in acts of physical and sexual aggression against his vulnerable classmates.

My-Lan is a seventeen-year-old immigrant student in Montreal who arrived three years prior to Karim. She has straight black hair and a quiet disposition, having been heavily sheltered by her parents. Like Karim, she carries the unseen burden of past violence from her home country. Her own experiences give her a profound understanding of his silent struggles in their new environment.

Nada is Maha's beautiful seventeen-year-old older sister. She has a curvaceous figure and sparkling eyes, presenting an image of perfect modesty. Karim idolizes her from afar and assumes she is entirely innocent. Her private diary suggests she possesses a more complicated internal life than her pristine exterior reveals.

Antoine is a Christian journalist living in the eastern sector of Beirut. He has a tall frame, a Roman nose, and gray hair. As an old friend of Karim's father, he proves to be a loyal ally. He uses his quick wit to trick border guards and provides temporary shelter for the escaping youth.

Béchir is Karim’s childhood best friend and fellow student in Lebanon. He is bolder than Karim and frequently encourages him to pursue his romantic interests. After relocating to Paris with his family to escape the civil war, he writes to Karim and urges his friend to look for the positives in his new life.

The narrator is an unnamed Montreal high school student who speaks on behalf of the general student body. She is fascinated by Karim's arrival but views him through a lens of racial preconceptions and romanticized stereotypes. Her perspective provides a contrast to Karim's internal reality and represents the well-meaning but ignorant local population.

Jad is Maha and Nada's six-month-old baby brother. Completely dependent on his caretakers, he becomes the primary motivation for Maha's dangerous trek across the Lebanese mountains. She refuses to risk being separated from him at an orphanage.

Sandrine is a Canadian high school student in Montreal who views herself as a social activist. She leads an immigrant awareness committee but lacks self-awareness. She frequently speaks over the actual immigrants in her class and makes broad assumptions about their desires to assimilate.

Pascale is a Black Haitian immigrant student in the Montreal high school. She is vocal and articulate during French class discussions. She directly challenges her classmates' assumptions that all immigrants want to blend into a single homogenous Canadian culture.

Robert is the French teacher at the Montreal high school. He attempts to foster a progressive classroom environment by prompting discussions on racism and the immigrant experience. He organizes the class ski trip where much of the social tension comes to a head.

Black Beard is a stray black goat that Maha and Karim encounter on their trek to Chlifa. The goat provides the children with milk and companionship. She represents a brief period of domestic harmony with nature during their perilous journey.

Nancy is a student at the Montreal high school who immediately notices Karim's arrival. She attempts to flirt with him by asking if he is Arab. Her behavior reflects the broader student body's tendency to exoticize him based on his appearance.