Amabelle is a young Haitian woman working as a servant and midwife for a wealthy Dominican family. Orphaned at a young age when her parents drowned, she struggles with traumatic dreams and feelings of isolation. Despite her subservient role, she is observant and capable, balancing her duties to her employers with her quiet romance.

Sebastien is a hardworking Haitian sugarcane worker living in the Dominican Republic. Having lost his own father to a hurricane, he understands Amabelle's grief and serves as a protective, grounding presence for her. He is increasingly disillusioned with the poor treatment of Haitian workers and harbors quiet frustrations about their social standing.

Senora Valencia is the wealthy daughter of a Spanish exile and the wife of an ambitious military officer. Having grown up alongside Amabelle, she displays moments of intimacy and shared history with her servant, though she remains deeply entrenched in her privileged status. She is a devoted expectant mother who worries about her husband's frequent absences.

Senor Pico is an ambitious military officer and the husband of Senora Valencia. He idolizes the Generalissimo and is fiercely devoted to Dominican nationalism. Short in stature with honey-almond skin, he is arrogant, physically and emotionally distant from his wife, and harbors deep xenophobia toward the Haitian workers on his estate.

Papi is a Spanish expatriate who took Amabelle in after she was orphaned. He is an older, phlegmatic man who spends his time cultivating orchids and documenting his history. He quietly disapproves of the growing military state in the Dominican Republic and the aggressive nationalism championed by his son-in-law.

Joël is a young Haitian sugarcane worker and a close friend of Sebastien. His sudden involvement in a violent accident highlights the vulnerability of the Haitian laborers in the Dominican Republic and serves as a catalyst for rising tensions among the community.

Kongo is a highly respected elder among the Haitian sugarcane workers. An experienced mask-maker who carries himself with dignity, he demonstrates profound wisdom and restraint even in the face of immense personal grief and systemic injustice.

Yves is a Haitian sugarcane worker characterized by his shaved head and prominent Adam's apple. As Sebastien's childhood friend and roommate, he is deeply embedded in the laborer community. He tends to be more withdrawn and pragmatic than his peers, harboring a quiet but steady loyalty.

Mimi is Sebastien's spirited sister who works as a domestic servant for Dona Eva. Outspoken and lively, she chafes against the somber mood of the workers' camp and expresses a desire for joy and freedom despite the oppressive atmosphere surrounding the Haitian immigrants.

Doctor Javier is a local physician who recognizes Amabelle's exceptional skills as a midwife. He is a pragmatic man who understands the shifting political winds and quietly attempts to help those in his orbit travel safely through the increasingly dangerous social landscape.

Senorita Beatriz is Doctor Javier's daughter. She dislikes the rampant nationalism championed by men like Senor Pico and expresses a quiet desire to escape the restrictive political climate of her country.

Félice is a spirited Haitian woman and the romantic partner of Joël. She responds to the injustices facing the workers with fierce indignation, advocating for action and revenge, which often puts her at odds with the more traditional and restrained elders of the community.

Juana is an aging, lifelong servant in Papi's household. She provides a nurturing presence for Senora Valencia and serves as a confidante for Amabelle, occasionally sharing her own experiences of unfulfilled motherhood and the struggles of growing older in servitude.

Luis is a servant working on Papi's estate. Practical and observant, he is one of the first to hear and share the news about Senor Pico's involvement in a fatal accident on the road.

Unèl is a middle-class Haitian stonemason living in the Dominican Republic. Recognizing the growing threat of xenophobia, he actively organizes his peers, initiating a nighttime brigade and advocating for self-defense and solidarity among the immigrants.

Father Romain is a young, lively priest originally from Cap Haitien. He provides spiritual and emotional comfort to the Haitian immigrant community, attempting to maintain joy and hope—symbolized by his kite-flying—surrounded by the rising tensions in the country.

Irelle is Amabelle's late mother, a woman remembered for her somber demeanor and conservative affection. She specialized in births and deaths alongside her husband, and her tragic drowning in a river continues to profoundly impact her daughter's psyche.

Antoine is Amabelle's late father, remembered for his jovial and excessively generous nature. His stubborn insistence on crossing a flooded river led to his and his wife's deaths, leaving behind a complex legacy of love and resentment in his daughter's mind.

Senora Rosalinda is Senora Valencia's late mother. Remembered as a kind, egalitarian woman who treated everyone with respect, her spiritual presence is strongly felt by her daughter, who honors her memory by naming her newborn after her.

Rafael is the newborn son of Senora Valencia and Senor Pico. Born lighter-skinned and more robust than his twin sister, he immediately becomes the pride of his nationalistic father, symbolizing Dominican strength.

Rosalinda is the newborn daughter of Senora Valencia. Born smaller and with a darker skin tone than her twin brother, her appearance causes her mother anxiety regarding social prejudices, though she proves remarkably resilient.

Odette is a Haitian woman who escaped from a large mill. Traveling under dangerous circumstances with her partner Wilner, she relies on her resourcefulness and group solidarity on the road.

Wilner is a prudent and cautious Haitian traveler attempting to reach the border safely. Taking charge of his small group, he makes difficult, unsentimental decisions to ensure the survival of his party in dangerous territory.

Tibon is a resilient traveler notable for having one shriveled arm and one strong one. He quickly forms a bond with his fellow refugees, maintaining a pragmatic and communicative spirit despite the physical and emotional toll of displacement.

Man Rapadou is Yves's mother, a large, loving woman who maintains the family home in Haiti. She holds a fiercely protective stance toward her family and quietly carries the burden of difficult, permanent decisions from her own past.

Man Denise is the mother of Sebastien and Mimi. Living in Haiti, she waits anxiously for news of her children who crossed the border for work, bearing the heavy emotional toll of a family separated by economic necessity and borders.

Generalissimo Trujillo is the dictator of the Dominican Republic. Though he exists largely in the background of daily life for the workers, his aggressive nationalism and policies cast a long, oppressive shadow over both the Dominican citizens and the Haitian immigrants.