Tony is a small, studious university professor who specializes in the history of war and battle strategies. Introverted and academically focused, she relies on logic and intellect to understand the world, often finding comfort in historical detachment rather than emotional engagement. She lives with West, a musicologist, and serves as the cynical realist among her core group of friends.

Charis is a spiritual and idealistic single mother living a rustic life on a remote island off the coast of Toronto. Formerly known as Karen, she survived a traumatic childhood by embracing alternative beliefs, vegetarianism, and an unyielding commitment to positivity and light. She practices yoga, relies on crystal reading, and lives entirely disconnected from modern urban sensibilities.

Roz is the ebullient, brassy president of her father's real estate development company and a major stakeholder in a women's magazine. Coming from a complex background of strict Catholic and Jewish heritage, she masks her deep insecurities with wealth, bluster, and decisive business acumen. She is a devoted mother to a son and twin daughters, balancing her demanding career with a fiercely protective love for her family.

Zenia is a magnetic, enigmatic woman whose sudden reappearance upends the lives of Tony, Charis, and Roz. Possessing an uncanny ability to read people and adopt whatever identity they find most appealing, she effortlessly infiltrates the lives of those around her. She presents a polished, confident exterior that masks her predatory nature and fluid history.

West is a musicologist researching the effect of music on the human brain. He originally meets Tony in college while dating Zenia, bringing Tony into a circle of bohemian night life. He is a sensitive, sometimes fragile man whose emotional stability is heavily impacted by the women in his life.

Billy is an itinerant American draft dodger taking refuge in Canada to avoid military service and possible prosecution. Harboring guilt and paranoia over his past political actions, he finds shelter and a relationship with Charis on her island. He remains wary of outsiders and fiercely protective of his hidden status.

Mitch is a handsome, successful lawyer who handles real estate contracts for Roz's father's business. As Roz's husband, he relies on her wealth and position while habitually engaging in affairs. Despite his professional exterior, he possesses a deep emotional neediness that drives his erratic personal life.

Charis's grandmother is a sturdy, salt-of-the-earth woman who runs a chaotic, free-roaming farm. She possesses a mystical, blue-light healing energy and an unshakeable connection to the cycles of nature. Her nonjudgmental acceptance provides the young Charis with her only reliable source of light and spiritual grounding during a dark childhood.

Augusta is Charis's modern, minimalist daughter who lives with her on the island. Her pragmatic, efficient sensibilities frequently chafe against her mother's New Age clutter and spiritual practices, though the two share a loving bond.

Larry is Roz's eldest child and a recent college graduate who appears somewhat adrift in life. Sensitive and dutiful, he evokes his mother's fierce protective instincts as he attempts to carve out his own identity independent of his family's wealth.

Boyce is Roz's trusted executive assistant who helps her manage the corporate landscape. He offers both professional financial advice and a steadying presence during her business decisions.

Shanita is the owner of Radiance, the crystal shop where Charis works. She acts as a spiritual mentor to Charis, teaching her creative visualization techniques to manage emotional distress.

Anthea is Tony's erratic and demanding mother, an English war bride who resents moving to Canada. She struggles with alcoholism and frequently uproots her daughter's life, creating an unstable childhood environment before eventually abandoning the family entirely.

Griff is Tony's father, a veteran whose involvement in World War II leaves him traumatized and emotionally closed off. He retreats into heavy drinking and refuses to discuss his past, leaving his daughter to seek her own understanding of military conflict through books.

Uncle Vern is a relative who takes young Karen (Charis) into his home when her mother falls ill. Behind his ordinary suburban exterior lies a deeply predatory nature, as he sexually abuses his young niece while maintaining the facade of a respectable household.

Aunt Viola is Karen's (Charis's) aunt who assumes guardianship when Karen's mother is hospitalized. She maintains a facade of forced cheer and aggressively denies any ugly truths that threaten the image of her respectable household.

Roz's father is a resourceful immigrant who builds a massive real estate fortune after World War II. He operates on the margins of legality, possessing multiple passports and a knack for surviving difficult circumstances while fiercely providing for his family.

Roz's mother is a strict, deeply religious Catholic woman who raises her daughter in a boarding house during the war. She struggles to adapt when her husband suddenly accumulates massive wealth, feeling adrift in their new upscale neighborhood.

Mrs. Morley is a divorced woman who sells cosmetics and lives in the rooming house run by Roz's mother. She introduces young Roz to the glamour of makeup and movies, providing a stylish and affectionate presence.

Uncle George is a Jewish refugee from World War II and a close associate of Roz's father. He teaches a young Roz how to play poker and introduces her to the realities of her father's past.

Uncle Joe is another displaced person and close associate of Roz's father. Along with George, he becomes a fixture in Roz's household and helps introduce her to her Jewish heritage.