Caro is a striking 20-something Australian who has relocated from Sydney to postwar England with her sister. Seeking freedom from the overbearing environment of her upbringing, she values her self-sufficiency and takes a government job in London to earn her own money. She displays a marked skepticism toward traditional romantic expectations and conventional gender roles, preferring independence over immediate domesticity.

Grace is Caro's conventionally beautiful sister who embraces the traditional path of marriage in British society. Possessing a softer, yielding disposition compared to her sibling, she readily adapts to the expectations of her upper-middle-class environment in London. She presents a serene exterior as she prepares to settle into a secure, comfortable life as a government official's wife.

Ted is a talented young astronomer from a working-class background in Northern England. Self-conscious about his lack of social pedigree but authentic in his regional identity, he pushes through the elitist atmosphere of the Thrale household through sheer intellectual merit. He is immediately captivated by Caro Bell and attempts to break through her guarded exterior.

Paul is a dashing upper-class playwright and the godson of Charmian Thrale. He possesses the polished manners of a modern English gentleman, commanding attention with effortless charm and trend-setting fashion. Confident and smooth, he generates an unspoken friction with Ted Tice while catching the attention of the young women visiting the estate.

Christian is a government official from a landed British family who travels across the former empire for his job. He approaches his personal life with the same rigid hierarchical perspective he brings to his civil service work. Uncomfortable with women who challenge his authority, he deliberately chooses to court the milder Grace over the defiant Caro.

Dora is the older half-sister to Caro and Grace who assumed their guardianship following the death of their parents in a shipwreck. Controlling and frequently struggling with depressive episodes, she maintains a firm emotional hold over her younger siblings. She constantly reminds the girls of the sacrifices she made to raise them in Australia, expecting unwavering financial and personal allegiance in return.

Charmian is the matriarch of the Thrale family, representing an older generation of strict Victorian propriety. She meticulously observes social customs, prioritizing decorum over personal comfort by refusing to let her back touch her chair. From her quiet position, she serves as an astute observer of the youthful tensions playing out within her home.

Sefton is an aging astronomy professor whose most significant scientific achievements occurred before the First World War. He holds patronizing colonialist views about Australia and resents the shifting postwar social order that threatens his privileged status. He maintains a gruff, superior attitude toward both his working-class apprentice and his foreign guests.

Tertia is the daughter of a lord, possessing a cool, sleek appearance that reflects immense wealth and social standing. She embodies aristocratic snobbery and moves through the world with an impenetrable, dispassionate demeanor. She assumes a posture of natural superiority over those she considers beneath her class, including the colonial Bell sisters and the working-class Ted Tice.

Adam is an imposing American businessman involved in international human rights campaigns. He projects a direct, confident manner that stands in contrast to the rigid British characters Caro meets in London. Operating outside the constraints of English class hierarchy, he approaches the world with a bold certainty.

Margaret is the beautiful, sensitive daughter of a scientist. She maintains a serene external presence and tends to a wild, intricately planted garden, demonstrating a quiet intelligence. Her calm demeanor masks an acute awareness of the emotional distances within the relationships around her.

Major Ingot is an older military man who becomes involved with Dora Bell. He represents a chance for Dora to build a life independent of her sisters.

Nicholas is a military man who attends social functions within the Thrales' extended circle. He displays a cold, complicated history with Tertia Drage and keeps a sharp eye on the shifting affections among the young guests at the estate.

Valda is an outspoken young woman working alongside Caro in a London bureaucracy. Unlike her peers who quietly accept domestic errands like making tea for male superiors, she actively protests against the unequal expectations placed on female staff.

Mr. Leadbetter is a traditional bureaucrat who manages the government office in London. He expects subservience from his female staff and resents any challenges to male authority within his workplace.

Rex is a poet and the father of Paul Ivory. During the Second World War, he spent time imprisoned in a Japanese POW camp, an experience that shaped his family's history.

Monica is the mother of Paul Ivory and the wife of Rex Ivory. She serves as a distant confidante for her son as he maneuvers through his busy social and artistic life in London.

Josie is the adolescent daughter of Adam Vail. She carries a defiant, troubled demeanor, stemming from complicated feelings surrounding her family history and her parents' volatile relationship.

Una is Adam Vail's sister. She lives in New York and maintains a pragmatic view of her family's dynamic and the broader American cultural attitude.

Hansi is a bureaucrat and an associate of Adam Vail's family in New York who becomes entangled with Adam's sister.

Charlotte is Adam Vail's late wife. She suffered from a constant state of desperation that deeply impacted her family, demanding an emotional enemy to project her struggles onto.