Daniel Sempere
A young boy, and an initiate of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. His father, a member of this exclusive secret society, brings Daniel to the cemetery to pick his sacred novel. He picks a book called The Shadow of the Wind, and falls in love with the book. This book is about his journey of learning what there is to learn about his sacred book's author, Julian Carax.
Julian Carax
This is the author of The Shadow of the Wind, a fictional novel that gives Daniel's life meaning in many ways. He wrote other books too, but someone has been burning them all. Carax was in love with a woman named Penelope, Daniel discovers, and that love was at the center of his writing.
Lain Coubert
This mysterious character has been literally burning all the books he can find. Interestingly, his name is the same last name as the villain in the novel. Coubert is in fact the author himself, Julian Carax, burning his own books because the love they refer to, his love for Penelope, ended in the death of her and their unborn child.
Penelope
Penelope was in love with Julian, but they didn't know they were sort of related. Their relationship was only 'incestuous' because their parents were having an affair. Penelope ends up imprisoned by her own parents' volition, and when she becomes desperately sick, her parents ignore her begging for help.
Beatriz Aguilar
Having learned of his sacred book, having learned of its author, his trauma-induced madness, and the tragedy of his beautiful life, Daniel finally realizes his destiny. To fall in love with his long time crush, Beatriz Aguilar. He pursues her, she swoons, and they are married. As an homage, Beatriz and Daniel agree to name the baby after Julian Carax.
