Dawn is a 15-year-old girl living in Canard County, Kentucky. She possesses a highly imaginative, thoughtful personality but struggles with severe anger stemming from her unstable home life following her father's death. She finds an emotional outlet in punk music, which validates her frustrations. Despite lacking positive role models, she harbors a deep loyalty to her community and a budding interest in environmental activism.

Mamaw is Dawn's grandmother and the matriarch of the family. She leads the local anti-coal activism efforts to protect Blue Bear Mountain from destructive strip mining. The community widely respects her leadership, even those who disagree with her politics. She maintains a patient, protective presence for her troubled family members, taking Dawn in when Momma cannot care for her.

Momma is Dawn's mother, struggling with severe addiction to alcohol and drugs following the death of her husband. She once ran a stable baking business and maintained a peaceful home, but she now relies on her mother and daughter to rescue her from dangerous situations. She frequently acts out erratically, climbing trees or getting stranded in parking lots.

Hubert is Dawn's uncle and the brother of Dawn's late father. He moved in with Momma after his brother's passing and runs an illegal alcohol operation out of their home. He frequently exposes Dawn and Albert to dangerous situations and poor decisions, acting with a volatile temper that causes severe disruptions for everyone around him.

Willett Bilson is an intelligent radio DJ living in Kingsport, Tennessee. He introduces Dawn to punk music and begins a correspondence with her after his brother interviews her at a hearing. He left college to care for his sick father and now works at the station, offering Dawn a glimpse of a kinder, more thoughtful peer.

Aunt June is Momma's sister who lives in a peaceful, art-filled home in Tennessee. She provides a sharp contrast to the chaotic Jewell household in Kentucky. She surrounds herself with intellectual, hippie friends and offers Dawn a safe haven away from Canard County's ongoing conflicts.

Albert is Dawn's older brother and a high school senior who rarely attends classes. He lives with Momma and Hubert, frequently bullying Dawn and showing little consideration for others' boundaries. He sells marijuana at school and aligns himself with Hubert's chaotic lifestyle.

Denny is Dawn's cousin who works for the coal mining company that Mamaw protests against. Despite the intense political divide in the community, he remains a quiet, patient supporter of his family. He repeatedly rescues Dawn and Momma from dangerous situations without complaining or seeking praise.

Keith Kelly is an attractive but smug coal mine employee who actively opposes Dawn and Mamaw's environmental activism. He represents the powerful local forces fighting to keep the strip mines open, and his reckless behavior frequently puts him at odds with the Jewell family.

Evie is Dawn's friend and classmate. She frequently relies on Dawn in school, sometimes copying her assignments, but she also defends Dawn physically against local bullies. Her interest in Dawn's brother creates tension between the two friends.

Decent Ferguson is an older friend of Dawn's who watches out for her wellbeing in chaotic social settings. She provides practical advice, protects Dawn from predatory men, and encourages her to seek better environments outside of Canard County.

Kenny Bilson is a bald radio station employee and the older brother of Willett. Impressed by Dawn's passionate outburst at a meeting, he interviews her for a broadcast, effectively connecting her voice to his brother's radio show.

Papaw Houston is Mamaw's ex-husband and Dawn's grandfather. He lives quietly away from the family's main drama, occasionally making his own corn liquor. He maintains a polite but discreet relationship with his former family members.

Aunt Ohio is Mamaw's sister. She struggles heavily with alcohol use but occasionally provides Dawn with strange, philosophical companionship during her darkest moments wandering the mountain.