Sabine is an architectural model designer who spent decades working as a magician's assistant in Los Angeles. She maintains an unconventional marriage with Parsifal, accepting that his romantic love belongs to his partner, Phan. Following their deaths, she must process her grief while confronting unexpected secrets about her husband's origins. She values honesty and feels uncomfortable with the deception required to be a lead magician.

Parsifal is a successful Los Angeles magician who carefully constructed an identity separate from his Nebraska roots. He previously told his California friends that his family died in a car crash. His secret past and the childhood trauma he left behind drive the central mystery of the story. He runs two fine rug stores as his primary source of income.

Phan is a tech developer from Silicon Valley and Parsifal's romantic partner. He shares an enormous Spanish-style mansion with both Parsifal and Sabine in Los Angeles. Having lost his own relatives in Vietnam, he bonds with Parsifal over their shared history of missing family. He serves as a peaceful, grounding presence in Sabine's subconscious.

Dot is Parsifal's mother, living a quiet life in Alliance, Nebraska. She carries deep regrets regarding her son's departure from her home decades ago. She views Sabine as an opportunity to understand the adult life of the son she lost touch with. She endures difficult family circumstances to maintain stability for her daughters.

Kitty is Parsifal's sister who bears a striking physical resemblance to him. She resides in their Nebraska hometown and struggles with an abusive marriage to Howard. She shares an unusually close connection with Sabine as both women process their complicated feelings regarding Parsifal. She acts as a caretaker and assistant figure within her own family.

Bertie is Parsifal's youngest sister, born shortly after he left home. She has no personal memories of her brother but travels with her mother to see his California life. She lives at home in a highly close relationship with Dot while preparing for her upcoming wedding.

Howard is Kitty's husband, a man with a volatile temper and a history of explosive behavior. He married Kitty after surviving a near-fatal fall from a train. He feels defensive about his life choices and threatened by Sabine's wealthy California background.

How is Kitty's eldest teenage son, named after his father. He shows an early aptitude and interest in the card tricks Sabine teaches him. He tries to live peacefully despite the instability of his parents' marriage.

Guy is Kitty's youngest son, intentionally named after Parsifal's birth name. He is curious and eager to learn about Sabine's experiences on television. Like his brother, he finds himself caught in the middle of his parents' tumultuous relationship.

Haas is Bertie's fiancé who dotes on her openly. He offers a protective presence for Bertie, particularly when arguments break out among the other Fetters family members. He helps provide Bertie with a safe environment away from family conflict.

Roger is Parsifal's lawyer who handles the estate. He is responsible for executing the will and delivering the unexpected news about the surviving Fetters family members in Nebraska, setting Sabine's journey in motion.

Sabine's mother is a Holocaust survivor who met her husband in a Polish train station before moving to Jaffa. She provides stability for her daughter but expresses deep concern about Sabine pursuing connections with people from Parsifal's hidden past.

Sabine's father is a caring figure who survived the Holocaust and later reunited with his wife. He offers Sabine a model of a healthy, supportive family dynamic that contrasts sharply with the environment Parsifal fled.

Albert is Dot's late husband and the father of Parsifal, Kitty, and Bertie. He maintained a household marked by severe physical abuse. His violence fundamentally shaped his children's lives and contributed to Parsifal's drastic departure from Nebraska.

Rabbit is a pet animal that previously featured in Sabine and Parsifal's stage performances. Following the loss of her human partners, the animal remains as Sabine's sole companion in the large mansion.

Sam Spender is a magician who spots Sabine in his audience. Unaware of her reluctance, he pulls her onto the stage to assist him, triggering an emotional reaction that forces her to confront her changing identity.