Danielle Minkoff
Danielle works as a documentary producer in a television studio. She falls for Murray later in the novel but is heartbroken when things don't work out between them.
Marina Thwaite
Marina is an aspiring author who has not actually had any published works. She is also the daughter of Murray Thwaite, a literary critic.
Julius Clarke
Julius is a literary critic who is forced to perform manual labour in order to pay the bills. He eventually ends up in a relationship with another man, David Cohen.
Murray Thwaite
Murray is Marina's father and is one of the two men that Danielle becomes romantically involved with. He gets to know Danielle through his daughter Marina.
Ludovic Seeley
Ludovic is an editor and the other man with whom Danielle begins to become romantically involved with. He ends up marrying Marina.
Bootie Tubb
Bootie is Marina's college dropout cousin who later exposes the affair between Murray and Danielle.