Falls Landing, Florida

Almost the entirety of Brutes takes place in the small community of Falls Landing, FL, a space dominated by pastels and beach equipment that falls very near to Florida's collection of theme parks. The town is notable in part because it is divided in two, with a large white wall separating the wealthy from the poor and preventing much interaction between the town's two halves. Furthermore, the town's proximity to the wealth and commercialism of the theme park culture in Florida has heavy bearing on the psychology of its residents, particularly those with fewer means and opportunities, who suffer from a feeling that success and plenty is only just out of reach. The close bond between show business, beauty, wealth, and success that Falls Landing's ecosystem contains is significant to the novel's themes and to the psychology of its characters, as is the climate and geography...