Maren is one of two central characters in The Mercies. She is a native of Vardø, a small fishing village in the Arctic. Her life is defined by family and struggle: She grows up around people who survive by working together. She is practical, skilled, and loving. The storm destroys her family and interrupts her youth, ruining her chance for a marriage with her fiancé, Dag, who dies in the storm. However, Maren’s life is made fuller by the arrival of Ursa, whom she falls in love with. Maren is loyal to her community even when the women start turning against one another, but she can also stand on her own two feet; Maren flees Vardø when she is accused of witchcraft, demonstrating her courage and belief in a hopeful future.

Ursa is one of two central characters in The Mercies. She is a native of Bergen, a larger town in southwestern Norway. Her father was once a wealthy shipbuilder, and though the family has since fallen hard times, Ursa still grows up in relative comfort; unlike Maren, Ursa does not have to cook and clean for her household. Her childhood is characterized by her close relationship with her ailing sister, and she is sad to leave her family behind when her father arranges her marriage with Absalom Cornet.