John Thornton, is a fearless man who's after more than gold; he wants to do what's right. Thornton works for the U.S. mail and is the only person daring and smart enough to figure out how to travel the deadly 600 miles from Skagway to Dawson, Alaska in the icy winter. His incredibly dog Buck is by his side and part of how he survives.

Felicity studies at a remote Roman Catholic boarding school in Australia. Consumed by curiosity about sex and heavily indulging in popular erotic novels as well as a lesbian affair with her friend Jenny, she yearns for a real-world experience.