Jacob Rigolet

Jacob Rigolet is the narrator of the novel. He is the son of Nora and Robert Emil and the fiancé of Martha. In his early thirties, Jacob is passive, rarely passionate, and morally questionable –such as when he brings home the Salzmann photograph and is fired from his job as an art auction buyer representative. Jacob goes on to study library science in the desire to follow in his mother’s footsteps, has a baby named Nora Elizabeth by Martha, and proposes to Martha for a second time as he learns about what it means to be a man from Bernard’s letters.

Nora Ives Rigolet

Nora Ives Rigolet is the mother of Jacob, the widow of Bernard, and the future mother-in-law of Martha. Nora is a kind and gentle woman who works as a librarian. She is overcome by guilt and heartbreak regarding the past. Her...