Sam Masur
Sam Masur is introduced in the first line of the first page of the novel. He is one of two co-protagonists and references Donkey Kong in the first paragraph, Frogger in the fourth paragraph, and science fairs and robotics competitions shortly thereafter are immediate clues to the milieu in which this nice Jewish-Korean American boy with ambitions to become a world-builder inhabits. To the potential reader who has only heard about such things, this novel will situate you deep into the world of 21s century archetype known as “the gamer” that will cover the evolution of such an individual across three decades in which many will learn things they never knew they wanted to know about the world of gaming.
Sadie Green
Sadie Green is the other co-protagonist and she shares both the love of all things gaming and a Jewish background with Sam. Their relationship evolves over that thirty-year span in all the various and multiple ways that such long-lasting relationships tend to do. One of the elements of the social structure that impacts them personally is the legendary sexism in the world of gaming on Sadie’s part and the legendary racism in America on Sam’s part.
Marx
Marx is introduced as Sam’s roommate at college. College roommates have, of course, proven to be quite troublesome figures when introduced as an unstable element into a platonic male/female friendship. On the other hand, a roommate can sometimes be the unstable element that proves to be a catalyst. When Marx rhetorically asks what is a game and answers, by way of the quote from Macbeth giving the novel its title, that gaming is all about the possibility of infinite rebirth, Sadie’s response is “Nice try, handsome. Next” So, clearly the instability of Marx into the pre-established stable dyad of Sam and Sadie could go either way. Because, as Marx also points out, nothing is permanent in games.
Dov Mizrah
Dov is an accomplished video game developer and a teacher at MIT, where he helps students understand and navigate the gaming industry. Born in Israel, he has a wife, Batia, and a young son. His family life is unstable, which leads him to pursue romantic relationships outside his marriage.
He becomes interested in Sadie, one of the few young women in his class, and soon begins dating her. Their intimate life is adventurous, often exploring various kinks. Eventually, Dov realizes that, despite the passion, the affair is not good for him. He decides to end it and attempt to repair his marriage with Batia. Sadie suffers greatly from the breakup and has an abortion, suggesting the child could have been Dov’s.
Sadie does not love Dov romantically, but she finds him interesting and sympathetic, and she values him as a teacher and mentor who can guide her career.
Dov struggles to openly share his emotions. He feels deeply but does not fully understand his own desires. Perhaps he married too young or did not fully explore his needs, which may explain his repeated relationships with younger women, particularly his students.
Although he tries to make it work with Batia, he eventually divorces her and later marries a student from his class. He hopes to find happiness with his new wife, but ultimately discovers that monogamy and long-term commitment are not for him. Thus, he ends up divorcing his new wife as well. Despite everything, he remains a supportive friend to Sadie, offering advice and helping her advance professionally.
