California, Near Future

The greater context for this story is California in a not-so-distant future after a severe drought has rendered the land a barren desert, devoid of water, flora, or fauna. The exact time period is not explicitly mentioned but the technology, language, and people’s customs are familiar enough to seem like our era, while the land is unrecognizable, implying that it is some time from now. Most people have relocated East and are placed in evacuation labor camps, but some—like Ray and Luz—remain and live in hideaways on rationed goods.

The Starlet’s Mansion

When the novel opens, Luz and Ray are camping out in an abandoned mansion in the canyon that used to belong to a Hollywood celebrity. It is described as an ultramodern chateau and is filled with luxurious objects and clothing that Ray and Luz spend their days sorting through and...