Federico is a Mexican immigrant living in El Monte, California, who works as a carnation picker. He struggles with a chronic bed-wetting problem that deeply strains his marriage. Overwhelmed by grief when his wife leaves, he resorts to burning his own skin as a physical coping mechanism. He leads the El Monte Flores gang in an organized rebellion against an oppressive celestial force watching from above.

Saturn/Salvador acts as a planetary force and omniscient narrator who watches over the citizens of El Monte. He controls the structure of the story, positioning himself as a deity to the people below. His heavy-handed observation sparks a rebellion from the local street gang. Despite his immense power over the narrative, he suffers from severe heartbreak that distracts him from his duties.

Little Merced is Federico's perceptive daughter who shares narration duties in the story. She struggles to assimilate into her new California school, facing prejudice from classmates over her lunch box and hygiene. To cope with her difficult circumstances, she develops a secret addiction to eating whole limes.

Merced is an origami woman fashioned from book pages and newsprint by a heretical monk. Despite her fragile construction, she lives a highly independent life and takes on numerous lovers. She carefully avoids water to maintain her physical form and patches herself up with whatever paper is available.

Froggy is a veteran member and historian of the El Monte Flores gang. He serves as Federico's most loyal lieutenant in the fight against their celestial observer. Though he projects a tough exterior, he harbors intense emotional pain from a lost romance.

Smiley serves as the accountant for the El Monte Flores gang before transitioning into a more philosophical role. Unlike his peers, he questions the necessity of warring against the sky. He possesses an analytical mind that drives him to investigate the true nature of their universe.

Apolonio is a scientific curandero who treats both the physical and spiritual ailments of his community. He bridges the gap between traditional folk healing and organized religion, occasionally drawing the ire of the Catholic Church. He steps in as a caretaker for vulnerable individuals in his neighborhood.

Liz is a woman of Romani descent whose departure casts a long shadow over the narrative. She leaves her former partner to seek a quieter, more conventional life in a city with painted mailboxes. She fiercely guards her privacy and objects to having her personal history used for public consumption.

Cameroon is a woman struggling with a painful past who becomes romantically involved with the narrator. She copes with her deep-seated trauma by intentionally letting honeybees sting her. She frequently travels with her partner, though their connection is fraught with miscommunication.

Antonio is a former Catholic monk who leaves his order to practice experimental medicine. He folds paper organs for transplants before advancing to creating entire living beings from discarded book pages.

Merced is Federico's wife who reaches her breaking point over his nightly incontinence. She abandons her family early in the narrative, leaving a void that drives her husband's sorrow and subsequent rebellion.

Sandra is the first female member of the carnation workers' street gang. She suffers severe physical abuse at home before finding solidarity with the gang members.

Baby Nostradamus is a silent infant said to possess profound cosmic knowledge and telepathic abilities. Following his mother's death, he requires the care of the local healer.

Ramon is a man who falls deeply in love with an origami woman. He endures severe paper cuts from their intimacy but ultimately fears her physical decay.