A seventeen-year-old Native American girl who has spent her life moving between various foster homes. Deeply self-conscious about severe facial scars inflicted by her mother, she hides behind her long red hair and initially struggles with feelings of unworthiness. As she settles into life at Adam's Rib, she begins to embrace her heritage, slowing down to learn traditional ways and developing spiritual gifts like reading plants and seeing inside water.

Angel's great-grandmother and a prominent resident of Adam's Rib. She wears a distinctive worn bear-fur coat and shares numerous stories that help Angel understand her origins. Kind, generous, and deeply embedded in the local matriarchy, she serves as a vital link to the family's past and culture.

Angel's great-great-grandmother, an incredibly old, thin woman with snowy hair. Despite her physical frailty, she possesses immense warmth, resilience, and a profound spiritual connection to her ancestors. She holds a vast knowledge of traditional ways, including herbal remedies and the ability to communicate with the environment.

A quiet, intuitive outsider who lives alone on Fur Island. Brought to Adam's Rib years ago by Agnes's son, she was abandoned but chose to stay, forging a close connection with the animal kingdom. She is fiercely protective, resourceful, and deeply maternal, despite having no biological children of her own.

Angel's estranged mother, a woman with dark skin, long red hair, and the distinct scent of cyanide. Haunted by the severe historical trauma endured by her own mother, she acts as a vessel for destructive spirits. Her actions are characterized by extreme coldness and violence, making her a figure of fear and tragedy.

A conglomerate of dam construction workers, government officials, and police officers tasked with implementing massive hydroelectric projects. Blind to the spiritual significance of the environment, they view Native Americans as historical relics and attempt to conquer the natural world for financial profit.

A graceful young man who lives on the Hundred-Year-Old Road in Adam's Rib. Deeply respectful of his Native American heritage, he speaks indigenous languages and hunts and fishes to provide for the community elders. He embodies a constructive masculinity that contrasts with the destructive forces threatening the local environment.

A recently returned Vietnam War veteran who works as a taxidermist and dealer in animal bones. Handsome and eager for affection, he wears excessive cologne and possesses an exploitative attitude toward nature that puts him at odds with the local matriarchs.

A tribal judge and elder living in the territory of the Fat-Eaters. Deeply wise and attuned to his surroundings, he possesses a remarkable instinct for understanding people. He serves as a central figure of resistance against the government's hydroelectric projects, opening his home, Lynx House, to protesters and travelers.

An elderly man who fishes and delivers groceries to remote parts of the region. Passionate about science, his life's goal is to prove that the world is alive and animals feel pain. He is one of the few men at Adam's Rib and shows immense respect for Native traditions.

An exuberant woman at Adam's Rib known for her colorful outfits and penchant for asking personal questions. Despite her lighthearted exterior, she possesses a deep capacity for sorrow that surfaces during times of communal loss.

Angel's grandmother, who arrived at Adam's Rib decades earlier with the distinct scent of cyanide. A traumatized survivor of tribal loss and severe abuse, she was possessed by destructive spirits and left a legacy of pain that she passed down to her family.

Agnes's son and Bush's former husband. He originally brought Bush to Adam's Rib from Oklahoma but lost all interest in her when a seductive new arrival came to town, eventually abandoning his wife completely.

Hannah's baby daughter. Unlike her mother and grandmother, she is innocent and unburdened by spiritual possession, representing a vigorous new dawn for the community.

Hannah's daughter by a different father. She carries the trauma of her mother's abandonment and shows signs of deep emotional pain, physically coping by suppressing her ability to feel it.

Tulik's daughter, who lives with him in the north country. She is a staunch defender of her community's traditional lifestyle and fiercely advocates for militant resistance against the construction projects.

Tulik's grandson, who goes by the name Grandson. He lives in Lynx House and experiences the growing tensions of the protests firsthand.

A wise activist who brings resources to aid the protesters after hearing about them on a radio program. She represents the broader indigenous resistance movement and advocates for the protection of their sacred lands.

Frenchie's daughter, whose tragic death during the harsh winter profoundly affects her mother and the rest of the community at Adam's Rib.