Karim Nakad
Karim, the novel's protagonist, is a seventeen-year-old boy from Beirut, Lebanon who settles as a refugee in Montreal, Canada. He is described as tall, dark, and handsome, with the air of a "desert prince." Karim begins the story reserved and cut off from the people around him; by the end, it is clear that he has survivor's guilt and is repressing the trauma of having lost Nada and Maha during his final days in Lebanon.
Maha Tabbara
Maha is a twelve-year-old girl from Beirut, Lebanon, whom Karim meets while trying to find her dead sister Nada. She and her baby brother Jad are the only surviving members of their family, following a catastrophic bombing. Maha is deeply devoted to Jad, doing anything to keep him with her—the entire reason why she sets out on the dangerous journey to Chlifa is because she wants to make sure that they don’t get separated through adoption. She puts up a strong, rebellious facade, smoking cigarettes and secluding herself from the people around her, who see her as a troublemaker. By the end of the novel, it is clear that her tough facade is concealing her survivor's guilt.
Nada Tabbara
Nada is Karim's love interest and Maha's older sister. Nada is portrayed as ideal, virtuous, and beautiful, with "magnificent" breasts that Karim fantasizes about touching and that Maha envies. Early in the story, she dies when her family's building collapses during a bombing.
My-Lan
My-Lan is a classmate of Karim's in Montreal. Karim doesn’t seem to like her much because of her painful similarity to Maha: when My-Lan makes snow angels, it reminds him of how Maha wanted to do the same, and when My-Lan does a class presentation on a song about the juniper tree, Karim breaks down because Maha was buried under a juniper tree. At the end of Part I, Dave and his friends sexually assault My-Lan; Karim saves her, and the two become friends after she visits him in hospital. After Karim learns of her experience as a Vietnamese refugee, he discovers his suffering is not unique.
Béchir
Béchir is Karim's best friend. Karim writes letters to Béchir, who fled Beirut to Paris with his family. Béchir plans to train to become an engineer and move back to rebuild Lebanon.
Antoine Milad
Antoine Milad is a close journalist friend of Karim's father. As a Christian, Antoine lives in East Beirut. He helps Maha and Karim pass the Green Line and gives them camping supplies for their journey.
Dave
Dave is an aggressive student in Karim's class in Montreal. He bullies other students and resents Karim for being an Arab. At the end of Part I, Dave sexually assaults My-Lan and responds to Karim's punches with a switchblade. Despite this conflict, by the end of the book, Dave and Karim are able to play soccer together civilly.
Nancy
Nancy is one of Karim's classmates in Montreal. She attempts to seduce him in overt ways, but he is not receptive to her advances.
Jad Tabbara
Jad is Maha and Nada's baby brother. Having survived the building collapse along with Maha, Jad becomes Maha's responsibility. After Maha dies, Karim takes Jad to Montreal so his family can raise him.
Robert
Robert is Karim's French teacher in Montreal. While Robert makes an effort to include Karim in the class and have him feel welcome, Karim writes in his diary that he despises Robert's goofy friendliness.
