Chino
Chino, Julio Mercado, is the narrator of the novel. Growing up in Spanish Harlem, he's nicknamed Chino for looking Chinese and being good at fighting. Chino and Sapo have been friends for a long time. Their loyalty is unmatched. Together with his wife Blanca, Chino is achieving higher education at an institution. Chino is constantly torn between the street life with Sapo and his new family with Blanca, now that she’s pregnant.
Blanca
Blanca, Nancy Saldivia, is Chino’s pregnant wife. She has a very static personality. She also attends a higher education institution, unlike many people in Spanish Harlem. He was nicknamed Blanca because of her upright character. She has goals and dreams that she wants to achieve. Blanca is a devoted Christian who strives to live with proper morals.
Sapo
Sapo, whose real name is Enrique, is a drug dealer in Spanish Harlem. He is self-centered and only cares about himself. Sapo is also very strong and never backs down for anyone or anything. Having dropped out of high school, Sapo works with several drug lords as a buyer and seller. Sapo and Chino are best friends, but Sapo being concerned with only himself, drags Chino into compromising situations.
Willie Bodega
Willie is a major drug lord in Spanish Harlem. Real name William Irizarry, Willie is a community activist who fights to improve the living conditions of the people in the neighborhood. Sapo and Chino both work for Willie at times. Willie is in love with Vera, who is married. He is constantly trying to impress her and win her over. Unfortunately, Vera is married, which leaves Willie with no option but to steal her from her husband. Even though he is a drug lord, Willie is the hero of Spanish Harlem. Willie cares about the people in the community only because he gets their loyalty in return
Vera
Vera is Blanca’s aunt who lives in Florida with her wealthy Cuban husband. After getting married, she changes her name to Veronica to mask her Latino identity. Vera tricks Willie into believing she loves him what she only loves Nazario. She convinces Willie to teach her how to use a gun which she uses to kill her husband.
Edwin Nazario
Edwin is Willie’s lawyer. Together they create a fake agency that bails out people in trouble in Spanish Harlem. Willie and Edwin share the same vision of making their community great and prosperous. Unknown to everyone else, Edwin and Vera were in love and were planning to be together. Edwin ends up killing Willie since they shared the same dream of being with Vera and only one of them fulfills that dream in the end.
