Karina Carvalho serves as the novel’s deuteragonist and an important foil to Linda. She is a round, dynamic character who initially appears to embody a form of conventional femininity that Linda finds both alluring and alien. Karina is preoccupied with her appearance, her relationship with her fiancé, Anthony, and the social rituals of her friend group, such as the Vision Board Brunches. However, beneath this polished exterior lies a deep well of anxiety, guilt, and fear, primarily manifesting as severe aerophobia and germaphobia. 

Her job in the “Violence” vertical at Acuity is a source of immense psychological distress, which she conceptualizes as a deserved punishment for past sins, a clear illustration of The Psychological Toll of Hidden Digital Labor. Her belief that she deserves to witness horrific content reveals a damaged psyche long before the full extent of her past trauma is revealed. Karina’s friendship with Linda is a central pillar of the narrative. She acts as Linda’s guide to social norms, teaching her how to dress, create an acceptable vision board, and navigate the world of online dating. Yet, the friendship is also a source of validation for Karina, who feels like an outsider among her wealthier, college-educated friends. 

Linda’s presence at the VBB gives Karina an ally in a social setting where she feels judged. This symbiotic relationship evolves dramatically over the course of the novel. Initially, Karina views Linda’s quirks as endearing or humorous, but as she is drawn deeper into Linda’s world, she is forced to confront her own deeply held fears. Karina’s character arc is defined by her journey from fear to surrender. Her early vision boards are focused on controlling her life by manifesting a wedding and a family, but her friends’ judgments and her own unhappiness lead her to a revelation. Her final vision board, which contains only the word “SURRENDER” (306), is a key shift. She rejects the hyper-individualistic, goal-oriented ethos of her friends and chooses to accept the universe’s will. This newfound perspective gives her the strength to confront her aerophobia to save her friend. In flying to Chicago to find Linda, Karina acts out her surrender, facing her greatest fear out of love and loyalty. She becomes the novel’s hero, a character who moves from a state of self-punishment to one of radical acceptance and deep friendship.

Dave Kinney is a major supporting character who is a catalyst for Linda’s journey and a representation of corporate hollowness. A manager from the parent company that oversees Acuity, Dave is introduced as an authority figure, but his professional veneer quickly cracks to reveal a man in the throes of a mid-life crisis. He is haunted by a failed tech startup, a bitter divorce, and a strained relationship with his teenage daughter. His life in a sterile Belmont house, which he describes as “haunted by the past” (252), is proof of his deep loneliness and disillusionment. 

Dave’s interactions with Linda are driven by his own needs and insecurities. He is initially drawn to her because of her efficiency as a moderator, but their relationship quickly moves beyond the professional when he uses her as a companion for a drug-fueled, impulsive escape. On their flights together, he unloads his personal grievances, using Linda as an unwilling therapist. His desire for Linda is less about genuine attraction and more about a desperate need to feel virile and alive. He views their in-flight sexual encounters as a personal erotic triumph, a way to reclaim a piece of the youth and vitality he feels he has lost. 

This self-absorption makes him an unwitting pawn in Linda’s own plans; he becomes the instrument through which her vision board manifests, providing the free flights that ultimately lead her back to her soulmate plane, N92823. Though he often acts as an antagonistic force through his obliviousness and self-centeredness, Dave is not a simple villain. He displays moments of kindness, such as when he inflates the wellness room’s yoga ball at Linda’s request. His final act of resigning from his job to protect Linda from scandal, while also protecting himself, shows a capacity for decisive action, even if it is motivated by self-preservation. Ultimately, Dave is a potent example of The Alienating Nature of Modern Life, a successful man who has all the trappings of a good life but is emotionally adrift and incapable of genuine connection.

Anthony is a minor, static character who serves as the focal point for Karina’s romantic ambitions and insecurities. As her fiancé, he represents the conventional life of marriage and stability that Karina strives for. His primary traits are his affable nature and his entrepreneurial spirit, embodied by his novelty T-shirt business. While this side hustle is a source of pride for him, it is a point of contention for Karina and her friends, who view it as an unstable and immature venture. 

Anthony is often the cause of Karina’s distress, whether through his casual flirtations with coworkers or his general immaturity, yet he also displays genuine affection and support for her. He is the one who encourages and funds the “practice flight” with Linda, demonstrating a desire to help Karina overcome her fears, even if he doesn’t fully understand them. He remains a relatively flat character, functioning more as a reflection of Karina’s desires and conflicts than as a fully developed individual.

Simon is a minor character who acts as a catalyst in the plot and represents the disenfranchised gig economy worker. Introduced as a catfish on a dating app, he lies about being a pilot to get Linda’s attention, revealing a desperation born from loneliness and a sense of inadequacy. After Linda gets him a job at Acuity, he becomes a disruptive presence in the office, first by joining Linda and Karina for lunch uninvited and later by attempting to blackmail Dave Kinney. 

Simon’s actions, though morally questionable, are instrumental to the plot. His blackmail scheme inadvertently provides Linda with the financial means to pursue N92823 on her final journey. Despite his crude behavior, he shows a strange sense of loyalty toward Linda, viewing them both as outsiders and offering to buy her a plane ticket home. He is a flat, static character who embodies the cynical and opportunistic side of modern alienation.

The Vision Board Brunch (VBB) women (Esme, Stacy, Judy, Morgan, and Nikki) function as a collective character representing the social milieu that Linda and Karina navigate. As a group, they embody the themes of Manifestation as Toxic Positivity and the superficiality of modern friendships. Their goals are uniformly conventional and materialistic: promotions, pregnancies, lavish vacations, and home renovations. They use the vision boards to reinforce a competitive, aspirational lifestyle. 

Their interactions are governed by a strict set of social codes, and they are quick to judge those who deviate, particularly Karina, for her lack of career ambition and her relationship with Anthony. The revelation that they maintain a secret group chat to gossip about Karina confirms their superficiality and emphasizes Karina’s isolation within the group. Though mostly flat characters, they are not entirely monolithic. Stacy shows a flicker of open-mindedness by finding Linda’s final, morbid vision board “kind of romantic” (309), and Judy, Karina’s oldest friend, displays genuine concern for her well-being, complicating a purely satirical portrayal of the group.