Ruth is a sixteen-year-old girl residing in Fairbanks, Alaska, with her strict Catholic grandmother and younger sister, Lily. She cherishes memories of her early childhood before her father died in a plane crash and her mother experienced a mental health crisis. Feeling isolated by her grandmother's restrictive rules, Ruth seeks freedom but soon finds herself managing an unexpected pregnancy without familial support.

Dora is a sixteen-year-old Inupiat girl living with her friend Dumpling's family in Fairbanks. She frequently battles nightmares resulting from domestic violence and sexual abuse inflicted by her father, Bumpo. Skeptical of others as a survival mechanism, she seeks a sense of belonging and fiercely protects her newfound peace within the Indigenous community at fish camp.

Alyce is a sixteen-year-old girl who spends her summers working on her father's commercial fishing boat. She harbors a deep love for both the Alaskan sea and ballet. Constantly striving to avoid disappointing her divorced parents, she suppresses her dream of attending a prestigious dance school audition in Fairbanks.

Hank is a seventeen-year-old boy fleeing Anchorage with his younger brothers to escape their mother's abusive boyfriends. Following his father's death in a tsunami, Hank attempts to assume the role of the household's primary protector. Overwhelmed by the responsibility, he maintains a pragmatic focus on keeping his brothers safe and fed.

Ruth's grandmother is a stern Catholic woman who raises Ruth and Lily following their father's death and mother's departure. She maintains a rigid household focused on preventing vanity and sin. Her decisions, including arranging for Ruth's relocation to a Canadian abbey during her pregnancy, stem from a desire to avoid social disgrace.

Dumpling is an Athabascan girl who serves as Dora's closest friend and chosen sister. Her loving home offers Dora a sanctuary from domestic abuse. Dumpling maintains a gentle, community-oriented worldview, offering Ruth a symbolic red ribbon as a gesture of unconditional support during her pregnancy.

Bumpo is Dora's father. He struggles with severe substance use disorder and inflicts ongoing domestic and sexual abuse on his daughter. Following his release from prison, he aggressively seeks out Dora to extort her Ice Classic prize money.

Lily is Ruth's younger sister, born the day after their father died in a plane crash. She lives under the strict supervision of their Catholic grandmother in Fairbanks. Unlike Ruth, Lily does not possess happy memories of their parents, creating emotional distance between the two sisters.

Bunny is Dumpling's younger sister and Lily's best friend. She is a proud Athabascan girl who confidently corrects generalizations about Indigenous cultures and frequently spends time at Ruth's house.

Selma is Alyce's cousin and Ruth's best friend. Adopted by Aunt Abigail as an infant, she maintains an appreciative and optimistic outlook on life. She provides consistent emotional support to Ruth through letters while Ruth resides at the abbey in Canada.

Jack is Hank's optimistic younger brother. He stows away on the ferry alongside Hank and Sam to escape their mother's abusive boyfriends. Unlike the pragmatic Hank, Jack remains hopeful during difficult situations and actively seeks help from adults like Phil.

Sam is Hank and Jack's brother, who falls off the ferry while looking for whales. He is rescued by Alyce and spends time recovering on her father's commercial fishing boat. He keeps the memory of his late father alive through storytelling and actively encourages Alyce to pursue her dancing dreams.

Alyce's father is a commercial fisherman who commands the boat Squid. Divorced from Alyce's mother, he primarily interacts with his daughter during the summer fishing season. He values her presence on the boat but remains initially unaware of the internal conflict caused by her ballet aspirations.

Phil is a watchman on the Matanuska ferry. After discovering Hank and Jack hiding on the vessel, he chooses to assist them rather than turn them in to authorities. He leverages his connections to facilitate the boys' safe placement in a temporary foster home in Fairbanks.

Isabelle is Phil's girlfriend and a social worker. She drives Hank and Jack from Canada to Fairbanks, acting as a supportive adult figure during their transition to a temporary foster placement.

Mr. Moses is Dumpling and Bunny's father. He provides a safe, nurturing environment for Dora following her father's arrest. Historically, he worked alongside Ruth's father to advocate for Indigenous land rights prior to Alaska's statehood.

Ray is a popular boy from a prosperous, politically conservative family in Fairbanks. He becomes Ruth's first boyfriend, treating their relationship casually before ending it and flaunting a new girlfriend, leaving Ruth to handle the consequences of their intimacy alone.

Ruth and Lily's mother suffered a severe mental health crisis following her husband's death in a plane crash. She permanently leaves her daughters in the care of their grandmother and relocates to a convent, remaining disconnected from her children's daily lives.

Ruth's late father was an Alaskan hunter who strongly opposed statehood, fearing it would restrict local sustenance rights. He died in a plane crash returning from a political meeting in Washington, D.C., an event that permanently altered the trajectory of Ruth's family.

Aunt Abigail is Alyce's aunt and Selma's adoptive mother. She works as a reporter in Fairbanks and attempts to interview Dora about winning a substantial monetary prize, stepping in to protect Dora when Bumpo arrives intoxicated.

Uncle Corky works on the commercial fishing boat Squid alongside his brother. He assists with boat chores and helps manage the vessel during the demanding summer fishing season, acting as a secondary authority figure to Alyce on the water.

Sister Josephine is a friendly nun at the Canadian abbey where Ruth resides during her pregnancy. She takes Ruth on errands to the mercantile and shares crucial historical context regarding Ruth's grandmother's childhood.

Dora's mother struggles with substance use disorder and fails to protect her daughter from Bumpo's abuse. She occasionally meets with Dora in town, often utilizing these interactions to extract small amounts of cash for alcohol.

Hank, Jack, and Sam's mother lives in Anchorage. Following the sudden death of her fisherman husband in a tsunami, she struggles to cope with raising her three sons alone and frequently brings abusive boyfriends into their home.

Alyce's mother resides in Fairbanks, having moved there to be closer to her sister, Abigail, following her divorce. She supports Alyce's ballet ambitions and maintains a lifestyle heavily contrasted against the rugged environment of the fishing boat.

Hank's late father was an Anchorage commercial fisherman who died in a tsunami caused by the 1964 Good Friday earthquake. His loss profoundly impacts his sons, who continually reference his memory, his stories about the ocean, and his advice regarding statehood.

Sister Bernadette is a nun at the Canadian abbey where Ruth stays during her pregnancy. She gets along well with Ruth and assists with the daily chores that sustain the religious community.

Sister Agnes is a strict nun at the Canadian abbey. She views Ruth's teenage pregnancy with judgment, referring to it in terms of illness and sin, which alienates Ruth further from the Catholic community.

Paula is a friend of Dora's mother who frequents the local bars. She occasionally interacts with Dora, providing her with small amounts of money when she spots her in town.

George is the manager at the Salvation Army. When Ruth feels overwhelmed and nauseous while shopping for larger clothes during her pregnancy, he kindly offers her a place to rest in the back room.