La Matosa

The majority of the action within the novel takes place in La Matosa, which is a small and rural town located in present day Mexico. The narrator describes the town as, “a tiny village with no roads, no park, no church, just a handful of houses illuminated by dim light bulbs” (117), as the homes of most of the novel’s major characters are essentially the only buildings in the town. As La Matosa is so small, any rumors that begin to form are quickly spread to each and every townsperson, and ultimately control the opinions and perceptions of the townspeople. It is a setting steeped in rumors, but also in superstitions, as the Witch’s house serves as the only real spectacle in the town. La Matosa is an important setting as it is where the murder that lies at the heart of the novel takes place...