- Mercia Murray – also known as Mercy, a Glasgow university professor originally from Kliprand, Namaqualand, in South Africa who returns to Kliprand, to help her brother and his family. At the book's beginning she has been "left" by her partner of 25 years.
- Jacques "Jake" Theophilus Murray – younger brother to Mercia. Lives in Kliprand, Namaqualand in South Africa with his wife and son.
- Sylvie Murray, née Willemse – wife to Jake and mother to Nicky.
- Willem Nicholas "Nicky" Murray – son of Jake and Sylvie.
- Nicholas Murray – known as Meester, father of Mercia and Jake. Husband to Antoinette.
- Antoinette Murray née Malherbe known as Netty, raised at Elim, a Moravian missionary station. Wife to Nicholas, mother of Mercia and Jake.
- Auntie Ma Willemse – one of Sylvie's mothers.
- Ouise Willemse – one of Sylvie's mothers.
- Nana Willemse – one of Sylvie's mothers.
- Fanus Lategan – friend to Mercia during school; collaborator in ANC activities in the mid-1970s in Kliprand.
- Craig McMillan – poet and former partner of Mercia Murray.
- Smithy – a younger colleague of Mercia's at the university.
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