The narrator of the book is a cipher. The author never reveals the name, age, nor gender of the narrator, who lives in London and works in translation, possibly in Russian. The narrator eventually leaves London and moves to Yorkshire, taking a job at a wine bar.

Through the narrative of the narrator’s love affair with Louise Rosenthal and reminiscences of past affairs like the one with Jacqueline at the start of the novel, the narrator reveals a complex and often contradictory personality. This somewhat unreliable narrator identifies as a romantic, sex-obsessed, self-absorbed, altruistic, witty, and despondent individual. The narrator engages in violence in two instances, both of which involving people who appear to hurt Louise. 

Louise is the object of the narrator’s romantic obsession. When the two meet, she is the childless wife of Elgin Rosenthal. Originally from Australia, Louise has a doctorate in art history. She has asymptomatic leukemia, and she has had at least one miscarriage. Louise and the narrator meet through mutual friends and begin an affair while Elgin is traveling out of town. Louise wants to leave her husband to be with the narrator, but after Elgin tells the narrator that Louise is ill and needs his help for treatment, the narrator decides to break off the affair.