Eighteen-year-old Nella moves from the rural town of Assendelft to Amsterdam following her arranged marriage to a wealthy merchant. Expecting romance and traditional domestic duties, she finds herself in an unconventional household that challenges her understanding of a woman's place. She actively seeks to establish her authority while investigating the mysterious origins of the miniature objects sent to her house.

At thirty-nine, Johannes is a highly successful merchant who trades international goods for the Dutch East India Company. He possesses a warm and humorous personality that contrasts with the strict religious frugality expected of wealthy Amsterdam citizens. He treats his new wife with kindness but maintains physical distance, guarding closely held secrets about his personal life.

Marin is Johannes's unmarried older sister and the acting head of the Brandt household. Dressed entirely in black with a starched white cap, she presents a severe and pious exterior to the outside world. Behind closed doors, she reads controversial books and harbors a hidden appreciation for sensory luxuries.

Frans is a socially ambitious merchant in Amsterdam and a former friend of Johannes Brandt. He resents Johannes's financial success and relies heavily on the wealth generated by his wife's colonial plantation. He craves social elevation, demonstrating his status by joining the local militia.

Jack is an English delivery boy who formerly worked as an actor in London. He possesses a reckless energy and frequently visits the Brandt house to deliver parcels and messages. His erratic behavior brings chaos into the carefully ordered domestic space.

The miniaturist is an elusive, fair-haired craftswoman operating a workshop on the Kalverstraat. She ignores the strict guild rules of the city, living entirely alone and producing highly realistic miniatures. She monitors the private lives of women in Amsterdam, sending them unsolicited items that reflect their personal secrets.

Agnes is a wealthy woman who inherited a lucrative sugar plantation in Surinam from her father. She frequently visits the Brandt household, taking pleasure in making spiteful remarks about their private affairs. She publicly advertises her piety while wearing expensive jewelry to signal her high social rank.

Cornelia works as the maid and cook for the Brandt household. Johannes removed her from an orphanage when she was twelve years old, securing her absolute loyalty. She lacks the quiet subservience typical of domestic workers, openly eavesdropping on conversations and offering unsolicited opinions to her employers.

Otto is Johannes's Black manservant, rescued from a Portuguese slave ship at the age of sixteen. He carries himself with distinct dignity and dresses immaculately, enduring the hostile stares of Amsterdam's citizens whenever he leaves the house. He is highly perceptive about the precarious nature of his employer's fortunes.

Pastor Pellicorne serves as the spiritual leader at the Old Church in Amsterdam. He delivers severe sermons warning his congregation against the spiritual dangers of wealth and material comforts. He regularly urges his parishioners to actively look for sin in their neighbors.

Lucas is an elderly clockmaker from the Belgian city of Bruges. He trained his daughter in his highly technical trade, teaching her to construct delicate mechanisms before she moved to Amsterdam to live on her own.

Arnoud operates a confectionary shop in Amsterdam. He actively seeks to elevate his social and financial status by purchasing large quantities of luxury goods like sugar at bargain prices.

Hanna is a practical confectioner who manages the daily operations of her husband's shop. She possesses independent financial resources and exerts quiet control over the business, preferring to work without her husband's direct interference.

Lysbeth is a wet nurse working in Amsterdam. Operating illegally outside the city's strict patriarchal regulations, she demands high pay in exchange for total discretion regarding her clients' private affairs.

Peebo is a brightly colored pet parakeet brought to Amsterdam by his owner. Confined to a cage in the kitchen due to strict household rules, the bird serves as a constant reminder of captivity within a wealthy home.

Rezeki is a loyal whippet rescued from the streets as a puppy. The dog eagerly awaits its master's return each night and guards the household.

Dhana is a whippet living in the Brandt house. The dog frequently accompanies its master on late-night walks through the city.