Luz is a seventeen-year-old clairvoyant of Mexican and Indigenous heritage living in 1930s Denver. She resides in a fifth-floor tenement called Hornet Moon with her aunt and brother. To support her household, she initially washes clothes for white citizens before securing an assistant position at a legal practice. Her clairvoyant abilities grant her sudden flashes of the past and future.

Maria Josie is Luz and Diego's fiercely independent aunt. She works long, dangerous hours at a local mirror factory, frequently suffering hand injuries to provide rent for her family. Preferring masculine clothing and the romantic company of women, she actively defies the gender expectations of her era. She operates as the practical anchor for her household.

Lizette is Luz's eighteen-year-old cousin who lives on Denver's Westside. She works alongside Luz at the laundry but possesses a far more pragmatic view of romance and survival. An exceptionally talented seamstress, she utilizes her skills to earn money for her own wedding gown. She views marriage as a practical social contract rather than a fairy tale.

Diego is Luz's charismatic older brother. He works at a local rubber factory and supplements his income by performing with live rattlesnakes. His handsome appearance attracts many women, which ultimately places him in severe physical danger due to the strictly enforced racial boundaries of 1930s Denver. He serves as a protective figure for his sister.

Pidre is an affable man of Pueblo and Spanish descent who grows up to be an ambitious businessman. Leaving his isolated village of Pardona, he establishes an outdoor entertainment amphitheater in the mining town of Animas. He possesses a trusting nature and a strong drive to build a prosperous life for his family.

Simodecea is a Mexican sharpshooter who gained dark notoriety after accidentally killing her husband during a bear attack. She becomes the star attraction at Pidre's red-rock amphitheater. Possessing strong survival instincts, she views the encroachment of outside mining interests with intense suspicion and prepares her daughters for hardship.

David is a young attorney of Greek descent who establishes a practice in Denver to fight against police brutality and discrimination. Educated at Columbia, he operates with a degree of privilege and charm that frequently masks his entitlement. He hires Luz as an assistant but struggles to maintain professional boundaries in their working relationship.

Avel is a handyman and aspiring trumpet player trying to find his place in Denver's local music scene. He meets Luz during a repair job and quickly becomes infatuated with her. He pursues a relationship with earnest sincerity, inviting her to his performances and actively pushing for a long-term commitment.

Sara is the eldest daughter of Pidre and Simodecea, and the mother of Luz and Diego. She inherits her family's clairvoyance but deliberately suppresses the gift. Trapped in a volatile relationship in isolated mining camps, she suffers from alcohol addiction and eventually makes the painful choice to send her children away for their own survival.

Known as the Sleepy Prophet, Desiderya is an elder in the Pueblo village of Pardona. She experiences powerful visions and acts on them to adopt young Pidre. She raises him with affection and prepares him for his future outside the isolated village.

Papa Tikas is a Greek immigrant who owns and operates a grocery market in Denver. He exhibits quiet generosity, occasionally slipping unpaid goods into the bags of struggling customers. He takes immense pride in his son's education and legal career, hosting lavish feasts to celebrate his milestones.

Teresita is Lizette's mother and a distant relative of Luz's family. Living in a small house on the Westside, she supplements the household income by babysitting for other working mothers. She offers unvarnished, grim lessons to the younger women regarding the lack of control they hold in a male-dominated society.

Eleanor Anne is an unmarried white woman from Missouri who becomes romantically involved with Diego. Their cross-cultural relationship forces her to navigate the strict, violent segregation of the era, bringing heavy consequences to both of their lives.

Alfonso is a Filipino immigrant and Lizette's practical fiancé. He works at a local restaurant and focuses on establishing a secure household. He shares Lizette's unsentimental approach to their impending marriage, viewing it as an equitable partnership.

Benny is a Belgian miner who enters a relationship with Sara in the town of Saguarita. He moves his family between isolated mining camps and exhibits abusive, unreliable behavior. He eventually steals the family's savings and flees in a company car.

Ethel is a white doctor who begins dating Maria Josie in Denver. Her presence provides Maria Josie with much-needed companionship, though it briefly unsettles the household dynamics.

Eduardo is Lizette's father and Teresita's husband. He lives with his large family on Denver's industrial Westside, occasionally clashing with his wife over household responsibilities.

Mickey is Pidre's business associate in the mining town of Animas. Able to read English, he assists in managing the paperwork and negotiations for their amphitheater enterprise.

Natalya is a highly regarded Russian dressmaker operating in Denver. She recognizes Lizette's natural aptitude for sewing and offers her weekend employment in her shop.

Dominic is Papa Tikas's brother and David's uncle. He exhibits volatile, abusive behavior toward the women in his company, establishing a grim example for his nephew.