Darling is a 10-year-old girl living in a tin shack in Paradise, Zimbabwe, after her original neighborhood was demolished. She spends her days roaming with her close-knit group of friends to find food and invent games to pass the time. She holds tightly to the hope that she will soon join her aunt in America, imagining a land of plenty where she will never go hungry again.

Bastard is an 11-year-old boy who acts as the self-appointed leader of Darling's friend group. He projects a tough, fearless exterior and frequently mocks the other children for their dreams, especially Darling's hopes of moving to America. Underneath his bravado, he possesses a vulnerability that surfaces during moments of community grief.

Chipo is an 11-year-old girl in Darling's social circle who is pregnant following a traumatic experience. The event has left her completely mute, forcing her to communicate silently with her friends. She continues to participate in the group's adventures, though her physical condition limits her ability to keep up.

Aunt Fostalina is Darling's aunt living in the United States. She works grueling hours in medical care and menial jobs to send financial support back to her family in Zimbabwe. She desperately wants to assimilate into American culture, ordering products off television and struggling to perfect her English pronunciation over the phone.

Darling's mother is a resilient woman forced to raise her daughter alone in a shantytown. She frequently travels to the border to sell goods, leaving Darling in the care of her grandmother. She carries the grief of losing their proper brick home to government bulldozers.

Mother of Bones is Darling's grandmother, a highly religious and traditional woman. She serves as Darling's primary caretaker when her mother travels for work. She holds tightly to the past, muttering to her deceased husband and maintaining a useless stockpile of old Zimbabwean money that she refuses to discard.

Uncle Kojo is an immigrant from Ghana who lives with Aunt Fostalina in America. He struggles with the American environment and fears authority figures like the police. He holds onto his Ghanaian traditions, eating different foods and listening to music that Darling finds unfamiliar.

TK is Uncle Kojo's teenage son who grew up in the United States. He exhibits typical American teenage behaviors, preferring solitude and digital entertainment over interacting with his newly arrived cousin. He views Darling's African traditions as strange and outdated.

Darling's father left Paradise to find work in South Africa but ultimately abandoned his family, sending no money or letters. When he finally reappears in the narrative, he is severely ill and physically unrecognizable to his daughter.

Stina is a member of Darling's friend group in Paradise whose exact age remains unknown because he has no official documentation. He is perceptive and often the voice of reason among the chaotic children, processing the political violence around them with surprising maturity.

Sbho is a 9-year-old girl in Paradise who is acutely aware that she is the most gorgeous child in town. She enjoys dressing up and mimicking the behaviors she sees on television, though she still participates fully in the dirty, exhausting realities of shantytown life.

Godknows is a 10-year-old boy in Darling's immediate circle. He is energetic and slightly comical, often providing physical humor due to his worn-out clothing. Like the others, his primary motivation each day is finding enough food to avoid starving.

Bornfree is a young political advocate in Zimbabwe who wears matching shirts with his friend Messenger. He attempts to mobilize the people of Paradise against the oppressive government, actively placing himself in danger by speaking out against the ruling party.

Messenger is a political activist who works alongside Bornfree in hopes of bringing real change to their country. He actively encourages the children of Paradise to help spread their political message in exchange for small rewards.

Prophet Mborro is a charismatic and forceful religious leader who holds massive sway over the residents of Paradise. He performs dramatic exorcisms and healings, claiming the ability to drive demons out of his congregants for a hefty fee.

MotherLove is a dignified adult woman in Paradise who maintains her pride even in extreme poverty. She acts as a protective figure in the community, intervening when the children engage in dangerous or misguided behaviors.

Kristal is an eighth-grade classmate of Darling's in America. She projects an air of superiority over the immigrant girls, despite struggling with basic English reading and writing herself. She introduces Darling to rebellious American teenage behaviors.

Marina is a Nigerian immigrant and classmate of Darling's. She takes immense pride in her heritage, frequently reminding the others that her grandfather was a chief back home. She uses her mother's car to sneak out with the girls.

Tshaka Zulu is an elderly Zimbabwean man living in an American institution called Shadybrook. He wears traditional clothing and requires caretakers to manage his episodes of distress, which are often just desperate attempts to speak his native language with someone who understands.