Anne is the eldest of the five orphaned Mansfield sisters living on their grandfather's farm in Little Nettlebed. She acts as a surrogate mother to her younger siblings, managing the household and providing emotional stability. Fiercely proud and independent, she refuses to perform the meekness expected of women in her village. This self-respect quickly makes her a target for local men who find her autonomy threatening.

Pete is the local ferryman for the village of Little Nettlebed. He derives a strong sense of identity from his control over the River Thames, viewing the waterway as his personal domain. Deeply religious but heavily reliant on alcohol, he harbors immense hostility toward women who do not show him deference. The shrinking river threatens his livelihood, causing his insecurity and anger to fester.

Thomas is a young man hired to help repair walls and work the fields on Joseph Mansfield's property. He initially arrives with typical village assumptions about the sisters but quickly grows fascinated by their private world. His growing infatuation with Anne softens his preconceptions, changing him from an indifferent outsider to a protective observer.

Robin is a gentle, empathetic boy living in Little Nettlebed with his mother and younger brother. He feels deeply alienated by the aggressive, violent behavior that the other village men celebrate. To avoid becoming a target himself, he often mimics their cruelty, an act that causes him immense internal conflict and guilt.

Joseph is a wealthy, elderly landowner and the patriarch of the Mansfield family. He is nearly blind and relies heavily on his granddaughters for daily care. He believes in reason and order, dismissing village superstitions as nonsense. Despite his genuine love for his granddaughters, he struggles to understand their inner lives and protect them effectively.

Temperance is the perceptive wife of the local publican, working at the Swan alehouse. She observes the village dynamics with a critical eye, keeping a mental record of the men's conversations and drunken boasts. She acts as a voice of reason in the community, actively attempting to defuse dangerous gossip before it can harm the vulnerable.

Elizabeth is the second eldest of the Mansfield sisters. She is recognized as the prettiest of the siblings and harbors a strong desire for the romantic finery associated with city life. She often relies on Anne for emotional support when the pressure from the village becomes overwhelming.

Hester is the third Mansfield sister, known around the farm for her mischievous behavior. She experiences strong dysphoria regarding her femininity, openly expressing a desire to be a boy or even an inanimate object to escape the village's expectations of women. She enjoys playing pranks, such as tricking Thomas into a well.

Grace is the fourth Mansfield sister. She is naturally timid and anxious, often reacting fearfully to the escalating tension in Little Nettlebed. She relies heavily on the collective strength of her siblings to endure the village's hostility.

Mary is the youngest of the five Mansfield sisters. She possesses a highly active imagination and frequently pretends to be animals to amuse herself and deflect difficult questions. Her innocence contrasts with the dark rumors swirling around the family.

Richard is Robin's younger brother. Highly impressionable and eager to fit in, he frequently repeats the sensational stories he hears from older men in the village. His desire for validation makes him an easy target for manipulation by those looking to spread rumors.

Agnes is the daughter of a wealthy merchant and Pete Darling's fiancée. She approaches Pete's wild tales with healthy skepticism, an attitude that infuriates him because it challenges his authority.

Humphrey is a wealthy merchant in Little Nettlebed and Agnes's father. He is highly concerned with his family's social standing and demands that his future son-in-law behave according to strict standards of modern respectability.

John is the publican of the Swan alehouse and Temperance's husband. He generally caters to the violent and boisterous men of the village, turning a blind eye to their cruelty as long as they pay for their ale.

Samuel Tubb is the local schoolmaster in Little Nettlebed. Despite his educated position, he eagerly participates in the village's mob behavior and validates the wild stories circulating about the Mansfield family.

Dr. Friend is a physician from Oxford who visits Little Nettlebed to investigate the girls' alleged condition. He relies on early modern medical theories, attributing female distress to erratic animal spirits rather than supernatural possession.

The Vicar is the local religious authority in Little Nettlebed. He interprets village gossip as evidence of spiritual warfare, using the rumors about the Mansfield sisters to assert his own power over the community's inner lives.

Connie is one of the two maids working at the Mansfield farm. She is highly superstitious and fearful of the girls' unusual behavior, actively seeking to distance herself from any potential scandal or illness.

Amie is a maid at the Mansfield household. Having barely survived a childhood illness, she is terrified of catching whatever affliction the villagers claim the sisters possess.

Martha is a local woman who actively participates in the village's gossip network. She eagerly shares updates about dead animals and locked-up dogs, feeding the community's growing paranoia.