Content Warning: This section of the guide contains descriptions of racism and enslavement.

Orsola is the protagonist of the novel; the action of the plot follows her as she grows from a young girl into an elderly woman, and her lifetime is spread out over centuries. Orsola is born in Murano (near the main city of Venice) and lives there for her entire life. She is extremely loyal to her home, family, and the glassmaking tradition, although she sometimes dreams of a bigger life. Orsola is independent, strong-willed, and determined. Although it is unconventional for a woman to learn a trade or earn her own money, Orsola recognizes that she has a talent and finds purpose and meaning in her work. She is also devoted to her family and spends much of her life completing endless domestic tasks such as laundry and childcare.

Orsola develops as a character because she witnesses a great deal of change. Due to the unusual plot structure, she and everyone else on Murano age very slowly compared to the rest of the world. Orsola therefore lives through hundreds of years (from the 1400s to the 2020s). She sees the world around her becoming more complex, fast-paced, and sophisticated.