This is a list of the major characters in both books. Minor characters or surrogates for real people have been omitted. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental and unintentional.
| Anne Stilwell | College woman, Swimmer | |
| Mary Travis | College woman, Cowgirl | |
| Saul Katz | College man, Swimmer | |
| Will Spector | College man, Artist | |
| Pat Spector | Will’s mother | |
| Dean Spector | Will’s father | |
| Alex Jefferson | College man, Computer Graphics | |
| Tina Jefferson | Alex’s mother | |
| Fred Jefferson | Alex’s father | |
| Tom Harrison | College man, undecided | |
| Sigrid Sorenson | College woman, Accountant | |
| Louise | College woman, North College | |
| Harry Katz | Saul’s father | |
| Muriel Katz | Saul’s mother | |
| Sara Polito | Owner of stables | |
| Steve Halleck | Humanities Professor | |
| Henry | Art School Instructor | |
| Sandy Stilwell | Anne’s Mother | |
| Elizabeth Sydney | Mary’s Aunt Bessie | |
| Lucy Travis | Mary’s Mother | |
| Sam Travis | Mary’s Father | |
| Susan Sorenson | Sigrid’s mother | |
| Doug Sorenson | Sigrid’s father | |
| Heather Huxley | College woman, Graphic designer | |
| Judith Huxley | Heather’s mother | |
| Jane Pinsky | High school student | |
| Jerry Pinsky | Jane’s father | |
| Ken Chance | Neighbor | |
| Iris Schmidt | Federal Express employee | |
| Jim Positano | Clothing buyer | |
| Denise Positano | Jim’s wife | |
| Margaret O’Malley | Lawyer | |
| Al O’Malley | Art dealer, Margaret's husband | |
| Mei-ling Lin | San Francisco Erotic Artist | |
| Jimmy Lin | Mei-ling’s husband and partner | |
| Sally and Josh Lin | The Ling children |