As in many of Steel's novels, there is an attempt to mark the setting with mention of social issues of the day. India Taylor, the main character, uses her talent as a photographer to expose some of the social ills blemishing the world in the late 1990's.

Her photographs provide the public with illustrations of important social issues.

India is no great reformer; she does not try to rid the world of any of its horrible problems, but she does capture concrete images of neglect, abuse, and poverty that shed light on evils in the world. India's assignments take her from exploring child abuse in Harlem, to exposing juvenile prostitution in London, to revealing ill-equipped medical facilities in Rwanda. Steel offers no extensive commentary on these problems; rather, she presents a heroine whose career and, in some cases, life choices are determined and fueled by a...