The tapestry of characters in The Court of Stone Children spans generations, some reaching from the shadows of history to shape the present. At the heart of this narrative stand several young adults, among whom Nina shines the brightest. Her companions include Gil, a boy rooted in modern times, and Domi, a spectral girl woven into the fabric of the past. While a number of adults play pivotal roles, they serve as guides rather than leaders in the young ones' quest to unravel the mysteries that lie ahead.

Nina, a lover of solitude, craves the warmth of friendship. Despite feeling uneasy and out of place in her new environment and social circles, she resolves to transform her circumstances. Her affection for antiquities—her "museum feeling," as she calls it—becomes a refuge, offering her a sense of safety. Her connection with Gil is likely drawn from his self-assurance, a trait she finds comforting. Though perceptive, Nina is slower than the reader to recognize that Domi hails from an era long past.

Gil perceives Nina's solitude and "otherness" yet remains unbothered by how others perceive his eccentricity. Driven by an internal vision, he dedicates himself to a grand "project," meticulously compiling every piece of human contemplation on the enigmatic subject of time.

Domi materializes before Nina as a peer, despite having aged and passed in her own life. Her ancestral home now serves as a museum, yet she feels out of place, as cherished belongings are encased and not scattered throughout as they once were. Her spirit clings to the hope of her father's exoneration, believing fervently in his innocence. Invisible to others, she shares a unique bond with Nina, to whom she reveals herself.

Supporting Characters

The museum staff emerge as significant figures. Mrs. Henry, affectionately known as Mam'zelle, owns and curates the museum, having transplanted Domi's home from France to San Francisco. Recognizing a kindred spirit in Nina, Mam'zelle nurtures her ambition to become a curator. Mrs. Staynes, the registrar, pens a tome casting Domi's father as a murderer, a narrative Nina is determined to challenge. Auguste, the caretaker, exudes an "old-world" charm and owns a cat named Lisabetta, a spectral echo of Domi's own feline companion.

Although Nina's and Gil's parents remain somewhat two-dimensional, they provide a spectrum of perspectives on the continuum of time and the essence of human experience. Also noteworthy are Mrs. Kendrick, Nina's landlady, who seeks her youthful reflection in mirrors, and Mrs. Threlkeld, the aged keeper of a house Nina first encounters in a dream.

The Stone Children and Art

The stone figures beckon with warmth, their hues more akin to sunlit gold than dreary gray. These replicas of children from Domi's era inhabit the museum courtyard, serving as silent sentinels. Though they neither move nor speak, their presence evokes emotion in Nina, sometimes welcoming, at other times retreating into a realm of their own. In particular, one statue, Odile, emerges as crucial, her diary offering vital pieces to the puzzle.

Among the treasures of the museum is a painting by Marc Chagall, eloquently named Time Is a River Without Banks. This artwork encapsulates the novel's central idea: time is a seamless continuum, defying division into past, present, and future. It challenges the reader's grasp of reality, suggesting that art, dreams, and memories might serve as gateways to alternative realms of existence.

Themes and Messages

The novel resonates with themes such as the futility of distilling human experiences into mere equations; the enduring nature of love, friendship, loyalty, and courage—unfaded by time or space; the triumph of unwavering resolve over insurmountable challenges; the spectrum of human feelings, including the simultaneous love and hatred for a single person; and the embrace of those who differ from us.