Elliot is a playwright who often interprets the real world through the lens of theatrical structure. Shaped by a traumatic, lonely childhood, he reinvented himself in London and eventually became a close companion to the famous actress Lana Farrar. He acts as the story's narrator, analyzing the motives and behaviors of the people around him with a sense of authority.

Lana is a famous, charismatic former movie star who retired at age forty to focus on raising her son, Leo. She possesses an intangible, almost mythical beauty and grace that naturally draws people to her. Despite her massive celebrity status, she seeks a quiet, purposeful life with her family and close circle of friends.

Kate is a highly successful stage actress and Lana's longtime friend. In stark contrast to Lana's calm demeanor, Kate is chaotic, loud, and temperamental, often dressing in an attention-grabbing manner. She relies heavily on substances to cope with stress and harbors complex feelings of jealousy toward her famous friend.

Leo is Lana's teenage son from her first marriage to Otto. He closely resembles his mother, possessing blond hair, blue eyes, and a generally gentle disposition. Recently adopting a vegan lifestyle, he is highly sensitive to violence and harbors aspirations to become an actor, which causes friction with his mother.

Jason is Lana's second husband. He is handsome, well-built, and deliberately brusque, often disregarding standard social politeness. He faces undisclosed financial troubles and frequently clashes with Lana's close friends, failing to understand their platonic devotion to his wife.

Agathi is Lana's highly competent, forty-five-year-old Greek housekeeper. She met Lana and her first husband years ago while serving at a restaurant in Mykonos. Deeply tied to Greek culture, she possesses a crystal from her grandmother that she uses for divination, and she firmly believes herself to be Lana's truest confidante.

Nikos is the reclusive caretaker of the island of Aura, a position he has held for twenty-five years since the death of his wife. Decades of isolation have turned him into an outsider who resents disruptions to his solitary life, though he harbors a quiet, intense devotion to Lana.

Barbara is an older, successful novelist who took a teenage Elliot into her home after he ran away to London. She provided him with access to literature and high society but maintained a predatory and manipulative hold over his life until her passing.

Otto was a wealthy Hollywood producer, much older than Lana, who served as her first husband. He bought the Greek island of Aura as a gift for her and fathered her son, Leo, before passing away several years into their marriage.

Babis is a local restauranteur operating on the nearby island of Mykonos. He harbors a longstanding grudge against Agathi because she left his employment to work for Lana and Otto's household.

Polly is a friend of Kate Crosby who lives in London. She acts as a sounding board for Kate and attempts to offer her sensible advice regarding her increasingly complicated personal life.