- Eva Luna: Narrator, daughter of Consuelo and an Indian gardener, orphaned at age six, talented storyteller, writer, revolutionary, survivor
- Huberto Naranjo: Eva's friend for many years, a ragamuffin street boy, later a fighter in the guerilla movement, Eva's first love
- Consuelo: Eva's mother, found in the middle of a jungle by missionaries (also an orphan), has red hair, gives Eva the gift of storytelling, dies by eating a chicken bone
- Riad Hilabí: One of Eva's many "patrons" (people she lives with), but Riad is more of a father figure, Eva lives with him for many years, has a cleft-lip, known in his village as "the Turk" (from Turkey, speaks Arabic), very kind and generous, shopkeeper, incredible lover
- El Negro: Friend of Huberto Naranjo, bartender
- La Señora: Lady-pimp, takes Eva in, gives her a makeover, makes Eva leave after The Revolt of the Whores so the police do not find her with a minor, best friend of Melecio/Mimí
- Melecio/Mimí: The best friend of La Señora, a transgender woman, eventually becomes Mimí. Mimí is a famous actress in telenovelas, and Eva's good friend and roommate later in Eva's life, encourages Eva to write down her stories
- Zulema: Riad Hilabí's wife, hates Riad because he has a cleft lip, lazy, depressed, has a one-night affair with Riad's nephew, eventually commits suicide
- Rolf Carlé: Grows up in post-World War II Europe, has a sadistic father and a kind but passive mother, leaves his home after his father's death, lives with his aunt and uncle, has threesomes with his two cousins, becomes a photojournalist eventually filming the guerilla movement (he meets Naranjo this way), falls in love with Eva at close of novel.
This content is from Wikipedia. GradeSaver is providing this content as a courtesy until we can offer a professionally written study guide by one of our staff editors. We do not consider this content professional or citable. Please use your discretion when relying on it.
