Mike Reed
Mike Reed is the narrator and the main character of the novel. He is a retiring history professor and a widower who lost his wife and daughter in a car crash, four years ago. Mike is struggling to move on from his loss as well as trying to reconnect with other people and the world.
Flower Cannon
Flower Cannon is an eccentric student who grabs Mike's attention with her striking appearance and wild and provocative nature. Despite having fantasies about her, once the fantasy becomes reality, Mike realizes that she is not what he wants.
J.J. Stein
J. J. Stein is one of Mike's acquaintances who recently went through a divorce. The two meet up to talk about work, past and the passing of time.
Kit Nickerson
Kit Nickerson is a famous novelist and the man for whom J. J.'s wife left him. The scene at dinner where Kit argues about books and having changed his writing with one of the colleagues and fans of his is a striking metaphor to letting things go and not being attached to the past.
