Winter Island

The primary location of the novel is Winter Island, a small island community that is off of the coast of nearby Los Angeles. During the summer months, Winter Island attracts many obnoxious tourists from the mainland, who crowd the island. For most of the year, however, only a small, rural community of people live on the island, including Evie and her family. Despite mostly pleasant weather, time on the island is punctuated by sudden and severe storms.

The Sea Institute

The Sea Institute is the name of a college and oceanology research facility, and is the only place where Evie lives, other than Winter Island. Evie initially comes to The Sea Institute on the advice of her mother, who had managed to get a job there. However, Mom quickly leaves the island, and Evie begins a relationship with a man named Jake. Evie does not describe The...