Syria

Syria is the beginning setting of the novel before Jude and Mama move to the U.S. They lived by the beach in a city popular with tourists.

United States

The United States is the setting representing new beginnings for the characters in the novel. The U.S. is as much of a setting as well as an ideal that the characters hold onto.

The ocean

The ocean is a setting that projects calm and relaxation for the characters. Jude frequently references missing the smell of the sea once she moves to Ohio.

Clifton, Ohio

Clifton, Ohio is the town where Mama and Jude move in with her brother, his wife, and their daughter. Jude struggles to feel at home in Clifton until she begins pushing herself out of her comfort zone.

Middle Eastern restaurant

Layla's family's Middle Eastern restaurant offers a place for Jude to feel a...