Huda is a resourceful working mother who serves as a secretary at the Australian embassy in Baghdad. Raised in Basra, she grew up hunting and foraging with her brothers. She now functions as the sole provider for her household after economic sanctions cost her husband his career. Her daily life involves shielding her family from the scrutiny of the mukhabarat.

Ally is an Australian-American former journalist living in Iraq under the guise of an ordinary diplomat's wife. She secretly investigates the life her late mother led in Baghdad during the 1970s. Frustrated by the restrictions placed on women and foreigners, she frequently pushes against safety boundaries to gather information.

Rania is an independent art gallery owner and the daughter of a former sheikh. Once part of the social elite, she now struggles financially and sells family heirlooms to survive. She lives in Baghdad while her daughter stays in Basra, a separation that causes her immense guilt and anxiety.

Abdul Amir is Huda's husband, a man who holds a master's degree in finance but lost his career due to international economic sanctions. He spends his days idling at tea houses, harboring resentment over his wife's status as the family's sole provider. He expects his family to prioritize their country over their personal safety.

Tom is the Australian deputy ambassador stationed in Baghdad. He focuses heavily on his diplomatic duties and expects his wife to quietly accept the restrictive life of an embassy spouse. He remains largely detached from the daily realities of Iraqi citizens and the secret police.

Khalid is the teenage son of Huda and Abdul Amir. He grows increasingly frustrated with the oppressive government and begins attending mosque more frequently to find direction. His youthful idealism blinds him to the immediate, violent realities of the state's military youth groups.

Hanan is Rania's teenage daughter. She lives with her grandmother in Basra for her own protection but desperately wishes to return to the excitement of Baghdad. She remains unaware of the specific, targeted threats that young women face from high-ranking government officials.

An officer in the mukhabarat, Saddam Hussein's secret police. He uses a calculated mixture of financial incentives and veiled threats to force ordinary citizens into gathering intelligence on foreigners.

Abu Issa's brutal partner in the mukhabarat. Known for breaking into homes by cutting the locks, he frequently makes lewd and threatening comments, representing the immediate physical danger of the oppressive regime.

Huda's deceased brother. He died during a past rebellion against the government, and his execution continues to cast a long shadow over Huda's life and her estranged relationship with Rania.

Huda's deceased brother. He participated in an uprising against the government and was executed, leaving his sister to carry the trauma of his loss.

Ally's deceased mother, an American who worked as a nurse in Baghdad during the 1970s. Her past involvement with local nurses and political groups serves as the catalyst for Ally's secret investigations.

Ally's father. Following the death of his wife Bridget, he fell into severe depression and alcoholism, leaving his daughter to process her grief largely alone.

A prominent Iraqi artist who lived in Baghdad during the 1970s. She holds key information about the political activities of Ally's mother and the tragic history of their mutual acquaintances.

An opportunistic member of the underground opposition. He leverages desperate people for his own political schemes, aiming to provoke foreign intervention by secretly working with religious factions against the regime.

A Shi'a religious leader working with the opposition movement. He represents the growing religious conservatism in the country, demanding strict adherence to modesty codes while facilitating illegal deals.

An officer in the Ministry of Culture who uses his official position to coerce women. He attempts to pressure Rania into bringing her daughter into the dangerous social orbit of the president's son.

The son of the president. He uses his unchecked political power to kidnap and assault young women throughout the city, representing an unavoidable danger for mothers with daughters.

A former successful architect whose livelihood was destroyed by economic decline, forcing him to work as a driver. He serves as one of Ally's drivers and guides, highlighting the stark contrast between Iraq's prosperous past and its impoverished present.

An Iraqi nurse who worked alongside Ally's mother in the 1970s. Ally actively searches for her, hoping to uncover more about her mother's time in Baghdad, only to discover the severe consequences of past political affiliations.

An old college friend of Rania who lives quietly outside the city. Despite his claims of having no remaining ties to the opposition, Rania targets him when she desperately needs access to underground resources.

Rania's mother, who lives in Basra and serves as a guardian for Rania's daughter, Hanan. Her sudden health issues threaten Rania's carefully constructed safety plans for her child.

A deeply cautious nurse at the hospital where Bridget once worked. Recognizing the danger of interacting with an inquiring foreigner, she refuses to discuss the past.