Main characters

Alvin - a young boy whose destiny is to become the Maker who will save the community and build the Crystal City. He is a calm, patient person but sometimes even he loses his temper and may become dangerous to his opponent because of unnatural strength and his special powers of looking through anything. He is tall and handsome but quite shy and modest.

Peggy a.k.a. Margaret - the daughter of the Guesters. She is famous in Hatrack as the Torch - able to forsee the future looking in the flame of a human heart. She falls in love with Alvin though being five years older than him. In order to hide herself before his arrival, she leaves Hatrack and comes back in disguise as middle-aged, caustic Mrs. Larner, the teacher.

Arthur Stuart - a little mulatto boy, the son of Planter and his female slave. After his mother's death, the orphan is adopted by the Guesters. He is a very smart child and wins everyone's heart in the town. His special power is to mimick people's voices.

Makepeace Smith - the smith of hatrack. Alvin trains as a prentice in his workshop. Makepeace is a good smith but a cunning, rough person. He treats Alvin unfairly, being also jealous of his talent.

Gertie Smith - Makepeace's wife. She i s a kind and hospitable woman, still she often quarrels loudly with her husband.

Horatio Guester - the owner of the inn where Alvin lives. He is a rash but good-hearted man. His biggest love is his daughter, Peggy.

Peg Guester - Horatio's wife and Peggy's mother. Even more hasty and impulsive than her husband, she remains to be the most kind and loving character in the book. She lacks in education but is quite a good thinker and brilliant opponent in a discussion.

Cavil Planter - a nasty bigot who owns a big plantation where Afroamerican slaves work for him. He believes that God gave him a mission of inseminating his female slaves and making them give birth to mulatto children, in order to make them whiter. He loves his wife, Dolores but is abusive towards women and does not want to understand how they feel.

Dolores Planter - Cavil's wife. She is a good-hearted disabled person who sepnds her life suffering in her bed all day. She does not know a lot about the world outside her bedroom because she has not left it since years.

Father Thrower - a priest. He is a dangerous enemy of Alvin whom he taught when Alvin was a child. Thrower has little moral rules and boundaries. Cavil Planter appears to be his good friend.

Sheriff Pauley Wiseman - the leader of Hatrack community. Although being known to be rather stupid and lacking diplomatic skills, he has a lot of power in Hatrack and often the last word goes to him.

Hank Dowser - his job is to look for water sources under the soil. He is a good Christian but feels unsure in his profession and hates anyone who appears to be better than him, esp. Alvin.

Mrs. Modesty - an old friend of Horatio Guester, probably his former lover. She offers accomodation for Peggy in Dekane and teaches her some manners that every lady should know, as well as how to be an ideal woman. She is, at least in Peggy's opinion.

Miss Larner - the alter ego of Peggy when she works as a teacher in Hatrack. She has got the look of a middle-aged woman and a very cold-blooded personality, much bravado and a liberal-feminist attitude. She cares about the education and good manners a lot.

Cal, Measure, Eleanor - Alvin's siblings

Delphi - Measure's wife

Mock Berry - a neighbor of the Guesters. He is a poor Afroamerican man with a family.

Dr. Physicker - the physician in Hatrack

Po Doggly - a farmer who helps Alvin to free Arthur Stuart from his kidnappers

Fox - a slave who works for Planter and is his favourite worker

Seekers - two unpleasant men who look for refugees from plantations. The older has gray hair and more peaceful attitude and the younger has black hair and is an agressive guy, always ready to fighting.

River Rats - rude old winos who abuse people (esp. women) on the bank of the Hio river. is the strongest among them.