June is a quiet, imaginative 14-year-old girl struggling with profound grief following the death of her beloved uncle Finn. Feeling alienated from her peers and her older sister, she spends her free time wandering the woods behind her school, pretending to live in the Middle Ages. June is deeply loyal and observant, though her intense focus on Finn's memory often isolates her from her immediate family.

Greta is June's 16-year-old sister, a talented high school student who excels in theater productions like *South Pacific*. Outwardly popular and successful, Greta secretly struggles with the heavy expectations placed upon her by their parents. She frequently drinks at cast parties and maintains a sarcastic, hostile attitude toward June, masking a deeper vulnerability and a longing for the closeness the sisters once shared.

Finn is June and Greta's uncle, a celebrated painter who dies of AIDS early in the story. He lived in Manhattan and encouraged June's unusual interests, particularly her fascination with the Middle Ages. He kept his family life mostly separate from his life with his long-term partner, Toby, leaving behind a valuable final portrait that becomes a focal point for the family's grief.

Danielle is June and Greta's mother and Finn's sister. Working as an accountant during a stressful tax season, she is pragmatic and constantly pushes her daughters to take advantage of opportunities and focus on their futures. She harbors deep anger and shame regarding the nature of her brother's illness, directing her blame entirely at his partner.

Toby is a British expatriate living in New York City and Finn's long-term partner. Shunned by the Elbus family and explicitly banned from attending Finn's funeral, Toby is isolated and grieving. Despite the family's harsh warnings about him, he gently reaches out to June in hopes of sharing memories of the man they both loved.

June and Greta's father is a busy accountant who works long hours alongside his wife during tax season. He generally supports Danielle's strict rules regarding the girls' schedules and her ban on contacting Toby, preferring to keep the household running smoothly rather than confronting emotional turmoil.

Ben is a high school student who works on the lighting crew for the drama department where Greta performs. Unlike most of the other teenagers, he takes a genuine interest in June's unusual style and engages her in conversations about Dungeons & Dragons, offering her a rare moment of peer connection.

Beans is a girl who used to be close friends with June before June began isolating herself. Her brief reappearance to invite June on a typical teenage outing highlights the growing distance between June and her peers.