Mai
Mai is the story’s protagonist, born in Laguna Beach, California. As the novel begins, Mai plans to have a wonderful summer holiday, spending time on the beach eating smoothies and bashing with her friend Montana all day. Mai is an easygoing and friendly girl who likes spending time with friends. Mai’s parents are Vietnamese, but she has never been in Vietnam.
When summer approaches, Mai's father orders her to accompany her grandmother to Vietnam to learn about her culture and interact with other family members. Mai has never thought of going to Vietnam, and she does not intend to go there because what she knows about the country is its instability, poverty, and uncivilized culture. However, when she arrives in her grandmother's village, Mai learns that Vietnam is a good country. Mai appreciates the local cuisine and the welcoming nature of the locals. Mai makes new friends in Vietnam before her return to California at the end of summer.
Montana
Montana is Mai’s close friend in California. The two girls go to school together and spend most of their holidays on the beach. Montana is patient, focused, friendly, and accommodating. When Montana learns that Mai has traveled to Vietnam, she keeps in touch and updates her on everything happening in Laguna Beach, California.
Mai’s father
Mai's father is a strict but loving man who wants his daughter to understand her roots and culture. The father is Vietnamese, but his family lives in California, United States of America. During the summer holiday, the father forces Mai to travel to Vietnam with her grandmother to learn more about her ancestral country.
Mai’s grandmother (Bà)
Bà is Mai’s grandmother and regularly travels to California to visit her children. Mai describes her grandmother as a knowledgeable woman who understands every aspect of her culture. While in the US, Bà tells Mai everything about Vietnamese culture. During summer, Mai travels with her grandmother to her village in Vietnam. In the village, Mai learns more about her grandfather, Ông, and his sudden death several years ago.
Ông
Ông is Bà’s husband and Mai’s grandfather. Ông was a protective man who ensured his family flew to safety in the US during the Civil War. Ông remained behind, and the American soldiers put him in a camp where he worked as an enslaved man. When Ông fell sick and refused to work, the Americans killed him, and his body was never found.
Út
Út is a young girl almost of a similar age to Mai. Út is a shy girl who avoids interacting with strangers. Mai notices that Út stands far from the rest of the family members. However, with time, Út and Mai become good friends even if they do not understand each other's language. Út and Mai communicate through writing in English. After several days, Mai and Út get comfortable close to each other. Út loves frogs, and she keeps them as pets. Út introduces Mai to the local cuisines, and slowly, Mai starts to appreciate her ancestral country and culture.
The guard
The guard is a vital character in the text because he unfolds the mystery surrounding the death of Ông, Mai’s grandfather. The guard is honest because he collaborates with detectives to help Mai’s grandmother understand how her husband died. The guard leads the family members to Hanoi, where Ông was shot several years ago, but his body was never found.
Kevin
Kevin is Mai's boyfriend. Mai describes Kevin as a charming, handsome boy whom every girl dies to dine with during holidays. Mai looks forward to spending quality time with Kevin in the coming summer holiday. However, that does not happen because Mai is forced to travel to Vietnam.
