Nam
This character is never explicitly said to be autobiographical, but his story seems to bear striking relationships to the author's life nevertheless. For instance, Nam is a writer who moves from Australia to Iowa and who is struggling to understand himself as an independent voice in the world; this all parallels the life of the author. Nam's father's visit to Iowa complicates his self-perception by bringing up a lot of emotions about his family and ethnic identity.
Ba
Nam's father is not named and is only referred to as Ba (father in Vietnamese). He is a complicated character who struggles with the trauma he experienced in Vietnam as a young man. This can be seen from the fact that he allows Nam to interview him at length, knowing the interview will be used for a story, then takes the story the next day and burns it.
Juan Pablo Merendez
A boy raised in the slums of Colombia, Juan Pablo is the main character in "Cartagena." Juan Pablo was once in a gang with his friends and stole things to make ends meet. Recently, Juan Pablo has been hired by El Padre as a hitman. Juan Pablo is sensitive and yet out of touch with his emotions due to the trauma he has endured and his need to provide for his family.
Jamie
In "Halflead Bay," Jamie is struggling to find balance in a troubling adolescence. He is a football star at his school and an attractive girl is interested in him, but he is also grappling with his mother's chronic illness and the fact that the attractive girl's boyfriend wants to beat him up. Eventually, Jamie chooses to take a beating rather than run away from his problems.
Henry
Henry is the main character of "Meeting Elise." As a protagonist, he is quite unlikeable; the narration describes issues with his colon and anus in great detail and he becomes drunk and aggressive toward his estranged daughter, Elise. Henry is an artist by profession and mourns the two tragedies of his life: his wife taking his child to Russia after finding out he is having an affair, and his lover dying at a young age.
Elise
Elise is Henry's estranged daughter and the titular character of "Meeting Elise." The last time she saw her father was when she is one year old; she was raised by her mother in Russia for the remainder of her childhood. Now that she is 18, she arranges to meet her father when she is in the United States for a cello concert. However, she changes her mind, possibly due to the advice of her fiance.
Mayako
Mayako is the main character of "Hiroshima." She is a young girl in the third grade who has been separated from her family and sent to a location outside of Hiroshima where children are cared for by teachers to protect them from potential bombings. She wants to be with her family again and doesn't fully understand what is happening, but she also cares about supporting her country.
Sarah
Sarah is the main character of "Tehran Calling." She is a U.S.-born young woman who met Parvin in college. She is depicted as self-centered, particularly because she is so wrapped up in sadness over a breakup. She decides to travel to Iran to reconnect with Parvin and shake off her sadness.
Parvin
Parvin is an Iranian young woman who attended college in the U.S. She struggles to be accepted by her peers in the United States and in Iran because of her complicated identity. She is a vocal feminist and is willing to put herself in danger to fight for women's rights in Iran.
Mai
Mai is the main character of "The Boat," the titular story of the collection. She is a 16-year-old girl fleeing Vietnam in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Mai struggles with the loss of her family and home as well as the terrible conditions on the boat, where people are hungry, dehydrated, sick, and hopeless.
