Nell is a perceptive and romantic recent graduate of Trinity College Dublin who struggles with anxiety about the natural world's decay. She works writing content for influencers while trying to balance her independence from her pragmatic mother. Nell frequently turns to her grandfather's poetry to simulate a sense of understanding and connection she feels lacking in her everyday life.

Carmel is Nell’s mother, a highly pragmatic woman who runs her own English language school in Dublin. She carries the emotional scars of being abandoned by her famous father during her childhood. Her tough-minded, direct communication style intentionally contrasts with her father's ambiguous poetry and often clashes with her daughter's romantic perspective.

Phil is a lauded Irish poet and the patriarch of the McDaragh family, famous for his beautiful verses about nature. Despite his public reputation as a literary titan who writes about love and the pilgrim soul, his private life is marked by impulsivity and cruelty. His sudden departure from his first family leaves a permanent shadow over his daughters' lives.

Felim is a young man from a farming family who enters into an intense relationship with Nell. He struggles to adapt to apartment living and often expresses feeling constrained by city life. His behavior fluctuates between affectionate and aggressively controlling, creating confusion and anxiety for those close to him.

Terry is Phil's first wife and the mother of Carmel and Imelda. She grew up in Dublin, contrasting with her husband's country upbringing. When she is diagnosed with breast cancer, her illness coincides with the collapse of her marriage, leaving her to rely heavily on her daughters for care.

Imelda is Carmel’s older sister, who takes on significant domestic responsibilities when their family fractures. She harbors deep-seated resentment toward Carmel, believing that their father favored Carmel over her. This sibling rivalry heavily influences her defensive and sometimes abrasive personality.

Ronan is a gentle, apologetic man who plays the clarinet and dates Carmel when Nell is young. He moved back to Dublin to care for his ailing father after abandoning his doctoral studies in London. He is deeply fascinated by Phil McDaragh's literary legacy, which inadvertently causes friction with Carmel.

David is a kind, posh English traveler who teaches online classes to students in Shanghai. He grew up near the English coast and attended school in Durham. His straightforward, enthusiastic manner of speaking frequently contrasts with traditional Irish modesty, making him a distinct presence in Nell's life.

Connie is an American woman and Phil McDaragh's second wife. She manages his literary estate and works to preserve his legacy, though she privately wrestles with the complex, often difficult realities of the man she married.

Lily is a close friend of Nell's from Trinity College Dublin who eventually moves to London. She struggles with anxiety and offers Nell grounded, external perspectives on her romantic relationships.

Malachy is an old university friend of Nell's who pursues studies in Utrecht. He engages in deep philosophical conversations with Nell about the differences between love, vulnerability, and physical intimacy.

Edgardo is a student at Carmel's language school who enters into a brief, casual sexual relationship with her. He ultimately returns to his life and partner abroad.

Hanorah is a beautiful local girl who becomes the subject of young Phil McDaragh's earliest unrequited love poems. Her association with Phil brings her strict punishment from her traditional family.

Father Madden is a local parish priest who recognizes young Phil’s precocious intellect. He encourages Phil to read widely, hoping to foster a religious vocation before Phil turns his attention fully to poetry.

Damien is Phil's father, a rural man who harbors a deep obsession with hunting local wildlife. He is a hardened figure who struggles to cope with the departure of his older children.

Francis is Phil's older brother, who is pulled out of school early to work on the family farm. He frequently bullies Phil, driving his younger brother to seek refuge in nature.

Barry is one of Phil's older brothers. His early departure from the household causes a permanent rift with their father, who refuses to speak of him again.

Vittoria is an Italian woman who befriends Carmel during her time teaching abroad. Their friendship becomes strained when Carmel casually interferes with Vittoria's romantic life.

Aedemar is a longtime friend of Carmel's. She provides a blunt, sometimes jarring perspective on family trauma, noting that Carmel is somewhat lucky to have outlived her difficult parents.

Selma is a respected poet who enters into a romantic and creative relationship with Phil McDaragh. Their connection is famously turbulent and marred by Phil's abusive behavior.

Harvey is a poet and contemporary of Phil McDaragh. He serves as a messenger between Phil's literary world and the family he left behind in Dublin.

Deirdre is Terry’s sister and aunt to Carmel and Imelda. She helps the family maintain a sense of normalcy by pointedly ignoring the reality of Phil's abandonment during her visits.

Shona is part of Nell’s tight-knit group of friends formed during her first year at Trinity College Dublin.

Meg is an actress and online influencer who employs Nell to write lifestyle content. She strictly curates her brand, rejecting content that leans too far into authentic melancholy.

Bunty is a woman Phil pursues after his marriage to Terry ends. She becomes the subject of his poem "The Heron," representing his intense but fleeting romantic fixations.

Paschal is Nell's former therapist. Nell occasionally considers returning to his care when her romantic life becomes overwhelmingly confusing.

Old Brock is a famously large badger living in the rural area near Phil's childhood home. The creature becomes the target of an intense local hunting party.

A young badger caught during a hunting party. It shares a moment of profound, silent understanding with young Phil before being killed by the hunting dogs.