The residents of Wakarusa, Indiana, could spin gossip faster than a spider spins its web.
-- Narrator (“Chapter One: Krissy, 1994”)

Importance: The smalltown rumor mill in Wakarusa creates an environment where people feel they must lie to stay safe. This quote is important because it shows why the characters in Wakarusa are so protective of their secrets.

Margot’s hometown was originally called Salem, but the name was changed in the 1850s to avoid confusion with the other Indiana Salem. The etymology had gotten lost to history, but conventional wisdom was that the Native American Wakarusa could be translated to “knee-deep in mud.” Both the old name and the new struck Margot as uncanny in their appropriateness. One evoked the killing of innocent girls, the other insinuated just how hard it was to leave.
-- Narrator (“Chapter Two: Margot, 2019”)

Importance: Wakarusa is linked to both the idea of stagnation and terrible crimes against women. This quote is important because it foreshadows the...