Elena is a 32-year-old accomplished writer originally from a working-class Naples neighborhood, now living in Northern Italy. She makes dramatic life changes to pursue a relationship with Nino, disrupting her career and her daughters' lives in the process. Her identity remains intensely tied to her lifelong bond with her brilliant friend, Lila.

Lila is Elena’s brilliant, unpredictable childhood friend who never left their Naples neighborhood. She currently heads a computer business called Basic Sight and acts as a localized counterforce to the powerful Camorra bosses. She possesses an extraordinary, unstructured intellect that constantly draws others into her chaotic orbit.

Nino is an academic and politician with a charming demeanor. He pursues a relationship with Elena while maintaining a complex double life with his existing family. He relies heavily on his charm to advance his career and social standing, often avoiding accountability for his actions.

Pietro is Elena's husband, a dedicated classics professor from a respected Northern Italian family. He struggles to balance his academic pursuits with the practical demands of raising his young daughters, though he attempts to remain a diligent father despite his separation from Elena.

Enzo is Lila’s partner and co-parent. A mathematically gifted man who devotes himself entirely to Lila and their work, he displays deep, steady devotion to his family and acts as a grounding force in his partner's chaotic world.

Dede is Elena and Pietro's eldest daughter. She shares her father's serious, earnest nature and holds strong emotional attachments to her childhood environment in Naples, particularly focusing her adolescent affections on Lila's son.

Elsa is Elena and Pietro's second daughter. She possesses a sly, effortless intelligence and frequently challenges her older sister, using her charm to manipulate situations to her advantage.

Imma is Elena and Nino's daughter. A bright girl who often feels overshadowed by the absence of her father and the precocious presence of her peers. She idolizes her father whenever he makes an appearance in her life.

Tina is Lila and Enzo's daughter. A highly intelligent and beautiful child who effortlessly commands the attention of adults. She holds a central, irreplaceable place in her mother's world and consistently outshines the other children in the neighborhood.

Gennaro is Lila’s son from her first marriage to Stefano. He struggles under the weight of his mother's high expectations and the challenging, corruptive environment of the Naples streets, frequently finding himself unable to maintain academic or professional stability.

Immacolata is Elena’s stern mother. She strongly disapproves of Elena's life choices but shares a deeply ingrained familial bond with her eldest daughter. She possesses a sharp tongue and a clear-eyed view of the neighborhood's dangers.

A former porter in Naples who maintains a passive role within his family. He is frequently overshadowed by his forceful wife and dominant neighborhood figures, rarely asserting his own authority.

Elisa is Elena's younger sister. She embraces the power dynamics of her neighborhood by aligning herself with the wealthy Camorra family, often resenting Elena for her education and distance from their local struggles.

Pietro’s mother is an influential figure in the Northern Italian publishing world. She utilizes her extensive connections to protect her family's reputation and direct her son's future, often working actively against Elena's career when she feels betrayed.

Pietro’s father is a prominent academic who holds traditional views on class and education. He prefers the established social order of the North and quietly disdains working-class individuals who disrupt these boundaries.

Pietro's sister is an art history academic in Milan who hosts intellectual debates. She initially offers Elena a refuge and a different perspective on family structures, living outside traditional nuclear constraints.

Half of the powerful Solara Camorrist brotherhood. He exerts financial and physical control over the Naples neighborhood, frequently clashing with those who challenge his authority while attempting to buy loyalty through favors.

The other Solara brother. He operates alongside Marcello but harbors an intense, erratic obsession with Lila that heavily affects his judgment. He attempts to enforce a brutal form of respect while demanding intellectual superiority from his sons.

Brother of Lila's ex-husband Stefano. A gay man who styles himself after Lila and relies on her as a confidante to survive the neighborhood's aggressive, macho culture. He maintains a dangerous connection to the Solara brothers.

Elena's former boyfriend. He works on errands for powerful families while maintaining complicated loyalties to his childhood friends, often acting as an informant for Lila regarding Nino's actions.

A childhood friend to Elena and Lila. He lives as a fugitive due to his Communist affiliations and radical actions against the neighborhood bosses, relying on a secretive network for survival.

Pasquale's accomplice in political violence. Coming from a privileged middle-class background, she brings different resources and perspectives to their radical movement and harbors intense resentment toward those who cross her.

Pasquale’s sister. She manages her family business while dealing with the intense pressures of neighborhood politics, frequently caught between loyalty to her friends and fear of the local crime bosses.