Peppermint Soda

The introverted 13-year-old narrator and younger sister. She is an underachiever at school, frequently mocked for a substandard art drawing, and anxious about growing up, including menstruation. Her thoughtful perspective grounds the story as she navigates friendships and the pressures of adolescence.

The outspoken 15-year-old sister who begins to question traditional roles. She becomes politically active around the Algerian War and her Jewish identity, befriending Pascale while clashing with Perrine. Her shift toward activism and evolving relationships drive much of the plot.

A wealthy classmate whose friendship with Frédérique strains as Frédérique leans toward political engagement. Perrine represents a privileged, conventional Parisian circle and serves as a foil to Frédérique's emerging activism.

An outspoken classmate who becomes a catalyst for Frédérique's political awakening. She provides blunt observations about protest and authority and offers a fearless sense of solidarity with Frédérique.

A friend who runs away and later returns, signaling the volatility of adolescence. She briefly leaves home to live with a boyfriend on a farm, illustrating the impulsive paths teens sometimes explore before returning to stability.

Frédérique's initial boyfriend. As Frédérique's priorities shift toward activism, the relationship becomes less central, highlighting the changing dynamics of teenage romance.

The newly divorced father who takes his daughters to the coast for the summer and later returns to Paris. He attends Frédérique's opening-night performance, but does not stay to congratulate her, illustrating the complexities of post-divorce family life.

The mother who raises the daughters in Paris after returning from the coast. She embodies the domestic sphere and the social expectations shaping the girls' lives.