Samuel is a musically gifted Jewish child living in Austria during the Nazi occupation. Following the events of Kristallnacht, his mother sends him away on a Kindertransport to England for his safety. He struggles with the loss of his family, language, and musical talent, eventually moving to the United States as an adult to pursue his passion for jazz and attempt to build a new life in Berkeley, California.

Selena is a dedicated human rights worker living in Nogales, Arizona. She works for the Magnolia Project, recruiting corporate lawyers to represent undocumented children separated from their parents at the US-Mexico border. Drawing strength from a matrilineal line of resilient women, she works tirelessly to locate missing parents and secure legal protection for vulnerable immigrants.

Leticia is a Salvadoran immigrant who flees the El Mozote massacre with her father as a child. Settling in California, she works as a housekeeper for Samuel Adler. She maintains a pragmatic, apolitical view of the world, focusing on immediate survival and practical duties rather than large-scale social issues.

Anita is a seven-year-old Salvadoran girl separated from her mother at the US border. She suffers from partial blindness due to a previous car accident. To cope with the harsh conditions of detention centers and foster homes, she escapes into a vivid imagination, visiting a magical land called Azabahar and relying on a spiritual guardian for comfort.

Frank is a successful corporate lawyer at a high-profile firm, accustomed to defending wealthy clients. Raised in a tight-knit Italian American family in Brooklyn, he initially views immigration work as a temporary distraction. However, his exposure to the realities of the refugee crisis, particularly through Anita's case, challenges his priorities and shifts his focus toward human rights.

Carlos is a corrupt former police officer in El Salvador involved in illegal weapons trading and mass violence. Protected by his father's military legacy, he acts with impunity, targeting vulnerable women and children and serving as the primary reason Marisol and Anita flee their home.

Rudolph is a family physician in 1930s Vienna. He is largely secular and optimistic, believing the rising anti-Semitic policies under Nazi occupation will be a temporary phase. His refusal to recognize the immediate danger severely impacts his family's chances of escape.

Rachel is a teacher and Samuel's mother. Unlike her husband, she clearly perceives the escalating threat of the Nazi occupation. When violence erupts, she takes extreme, desperate measures to secure exit visas and passage for her son, sacrificing her own safety to ensure his survival.

Peter is an "Aryan" pharmacist in Vienna and a close friend of the Adler family. During the Kristallnacht riots, he uses his status to physically protect the Adlers' property and attempts to secure medical help for Rudolph, operating as a quiet ally in a dangerous environment.

Volker is a retired military veteran living in the Adlers' apartment building. Though he generally dislikes his neighbors, he harbors a quiet fondness for Samuel's violin playing. He leverages his military uniform and firearms to deter violent mobs from attacking the Adlers.

Nadine is a wealthy, rebellious woman who rejects her affluent upbringing in favor of bohemian cultural experiences. She marries Samuel and moves to England and California, turning their home into a hub for activists, artists, and immigrants. Her performative but genuine interest in social causes heavily influences Samuel's adult life.

Marisol is Anita's mother, a Salvadoran woman who flees her home country to escape the violent pursuit of a local predator. She disguises herself and her daughter as males to survive the dangerous journey north, only to be forcibly separated from Anita at the US border.

Doña Eduvigis is Anita's grandmother. Remaining in El Salvador, she provides crucial background information about Anita's early life, her visual impairment, and the threats that forced Marisol to flee. She is an active voice against the systemic violence targeting women in her country.

Edgar is Leticia's father. After surviving the destruction of their home village, he carries his daughter on a grueling journey to the United States. The trauma of the massacre leaves him emotionally distant and haggard as he struggles to find consistent work in California.

Cruz is the owner of a construction business in California. He acts as a benefactor to Leticia and her father upon their arrival in the United States, providing them with essential stability. He also works quietly alongside Nadine Leblanc on covert immigration operations.

Milosz is Selena's fiancé, approved of by her family for his devotion and work ethic. However, his strict, conservative views on unauthorized immigration put him at direct odds with Selena's life's work, creating an unbridgeable ideological gap between them.

Claudia is Anita's deceased younger sister, who died in a car accident in El Salvador. She appears throughout the story as a ghost or imaginary companion to Anita, providing the frightened girl with someone to talk to and care for during her isolation.

Maria is Anita's first foster mother in Tucson. Frustrated by Anita's refusal to accept her as a permanent mother figure, she resorts to harsh punishments, viewing her foster children as stubborn dependents rather than traumatized individuals.

Mr. Rick is Anita's second foster father. He leaves the actual childcare to his wife and uses his position of authority to prey on the vulnerable children placed in his home, assuming they are too powerless to fight back.

Mamagrande is Selena's great-grandmother who immigrated to the United States in 1954. She is the matriarch of the family, pressuring younger generations to have children and serving as the foundational figure for the family's tradition of strong, independent women.

Leah is Samuel's aunt, a devout woman who attempts to raise him in the Jewish tradition. During the occupation, she hosts underground classes for Jewish children who have been expelled from the public school system.

Lola is a taxi driver who caters specifically to women for their safety. She serves as a local guide and informant for Selena and Frank, possessing deep knowledge about the corruption of local police and the history of Carlos Gómez.

Described by Anita as an all-white spiritual presence, the guardian angel serves as a coping mechanism and protector for the young girl. Anita leaves whispered messages in holes and trees to communicate with this silent protector.

Susan is Anita's second foster mother. She manages a busy house full of boys and acts kindly toward Anita, though she is seemingly oblivious to her husband's predatory nature until an incident forces her to intervene.