Ezinma is a sweet, mild-mannered woman who cares deeply for her family. She contrasts sharply with her older sister, possessing a gentle nature that leads her to tend to her sister's injuries. Her family's history traces back to the Nigerian Civil War, shaping the burdens the current generation carries.

Named Biafra out of spite by her mother, Bibi is a beautiful and highly stubborn young woman. She refuses to share her belongings or affection with her younger sister. Her defiance leads her to move in with a dangerous partner against her mother's explicit advice.

Nwando is a plucky, fiery young girl who often gets into trouble at school. She acts as a leader among her schoolmates in the so-called Girl Army but struggles with the expectations of doling out justice. At home, she plays chess with her traumatized father, trying to decipher his cryptic military stories.

Ada is an American teenager who recently lost her high school valedictorian status due to talking back to adults. Her mother views her as rebellious and wild, sending her away for the summer. During her stay abroad, Ada gains a new perspective on her family's complicated dynamics.

Chinyere is Ada's cousin, a stylish and polite young woman who had a child as a teenager. Despite Ada's mother viewing her as an obedient contrast to Ada, Chinyere lives under the harsh, constant scrutiny of her own mother. She acts as a proxy in the older generation's battles.

Ada's aunt and Chinyere's mother. She exerts strict control over her daughter, confiscating her personal items and limiting her social outings. Her casual cruelty toward Chinyere stems from her deep embarrassment over her daughter's out-of-wedlock pregnancy.

Enebeli is a loving, gentle father raising his preteen daughter in Nigeria. He cherishes his daughter's fiery personality and takes a lenient approach to her adolescent development. He finds himself in a quiet struggle against his wife's stricter parenting style, fearing the loss of his daughter's unique spark.

Uche is a woman two years out of graduate school who struggles to hold a steady job. Burdened by heavy guilt over her last interaction with her mother, she reacts poorly when her mother miraculously returns from the dead. She finds herself unable to simply enjoy this impossible second chance.

Ogechi is a young woman who was magically fashioned out of mud. Rejecting the utilitarian nature of her own creation, she desperately wishes to craft a perfect, beautiful baby for herself. Her intense desire leads her to make dangerous choices with salon hair clippings.

Buchi is a recently widowed mother who relies on her sister's family for housing. Forced to act as a servant to pay for her room and board, she fiercely protects her two grieving daughters while trying to figure out a path forward. She absorbs indignities to keep her children housed.

Buchi's older daughter. Fearful that her family will be kicked out of their relatives' house, she becomes overly obedient and helpful. She sacrifices her own childhood playfulness for a sense of security, stepping up to protect her younger sibling.

Buchi's younger daughter. Having witnessed the road accident that killed her father, she has become selectively mute and deeply traumatized. She spends her days bonding with the estate's gardener and a runt chicken named Kano.

Nneoma is a mathematician and one of six grief workers in the Biafra-Brittania Alliance. She exclusively treats wealthy clients, avoiding those with heavier traumas from war or famine. She uses her work and her own lingering sorrow to avoid engaging with the world's larger political and environmental tragedies.

Nneoma's former girlfriend and a fellow grief worker. Unlike Nneoma, Kioni works exclusively with refugees and survivors of mass violence, absorbing massive amounts of trauma that threaten her own sanity and physical wellbeing.

Glory is a woman approaching thirty who carries a deep sense of resentment toward the world. Prone to making poor decisions out of spite, she dropped out of law school and constantly battles what her grandfather calls bad chi. She struggles to reconcile her parents' high expectations with her own lack of direction.

A Nigerian business intern working at the same call center as Glory. He is devout, frugal, and highly successful, attributing his good fortune to hard work rather than the natural luck he possesses. He represents the easy success that Glory deeply envies.

The god of ants. He holds a deep grudge against the goddess of rivers over a minor slight involving a divided stream. Feeling dismissed due to his small stature, he dedicates centuries to orchestrating an act of revenge against the oblivious river goddess.

The powerful goddess of rivers. She treats Ant's anger as a petty prank and fails to recognize his determination. Her thoughtless use of power triggers a catastrophic chain of events affecting the mortal and divine worlds.

A thirteen-year-old house girl working for the Ajayi family. She projects a tough, bold exterior that deeply fascinates the neighborhood teenagers. Despite her brash behavior, she remains vulnerable to the harsh realities of her social class and employment.

Godwin is Bibi's boyfriend, a man raised with corrosive parental indulgence. Unused to hearing the word no, his superficial decency masks a manipulative and highly abusive nature. He becomes a physical threat when he loses control over his relationship.

A classmate of Nwando who sets strict rules for her social club. Her lie about wearing a bra prompts Nwando into a physical confrontation on the playground, which leads to Anita being harassed by the local boys.

A deceased friend of Nwando's father from his time in the military. He used to kill snakes that came out at night on the road and frequently demanded truth when his friends exaggerated. His death by suicide continues to haunt the surviving family.

A former fiancée of Ada's deceased father. She harbors deep resentment toward Ada's mother and uses public events to target the family, striking at Ugo through Chinyere. She holds tightly to old community grudges.

Uche's younger sister. Unlike Uche, she had a relatively uncomplicated relationship with their mother and openly rejoices when she reappears. She frequently acts as an emotional buffer in the family.

A businesswoman who owns a hair salon and runs a side service blessing babies for motherless young women. She requires payment in the form of joy and empathy, physically siphoning these emotions from her clients until they are drained.

Buchi's sister. She allows Buchi and her nieces to live in her home but treats them entirely as household staff. She enforces strict social boundaries between her family and the servants, lacking empathy for her sister's sudden plunge into poverty.

Precious's wealthy husband. He is arrogant and uses his financial power to demean Buchi and her children. He treats the trauma of his wife's relatives with callous disregard, making cruel jokes at their expense.

The gardener at Precious and Dickson's property. He initially dislikes children due to his experiences with Precious's kids, but he softens toward Damaris. He shares snacks with the girls and forms a quiet alliance with Buchi.

Buchi's lifelong friend from primary school. Having recently lost her own daughter to sickle cell anemia, she offers to take Louisa in to help manage her large family.

Nneoma's driver, who occasionally tries to encourage her to visit her grieving father. He represents the everyday people living in the heavily stratified society.

River's sister, originally known as She Who Betrayed River. Tasked with watching River's twin daughters, she fails to protect them from Ant. Driven entirely by guilt, she transforms into a relentless hunter scouring the world for the missing children.

A youth pastor at the local church. He uses his position of spiritual authority to exploit and harm young girls, trusting that the adult congregation will believe him over his victims. He presents himself as a pious figure to the community.

The house girl working for the narrator's family. She teams up with Mayowa in an attempt to steal money from the church fund but is quickly caught, highlighting her lack of options.

Mayowa's employer. She frequently complains about Mayowa's mischief but eventually sends the girl to the youth pastor for discipline, failing to recognize the danger she puts the young girl in.