Stella Maris

Stella Maris, a psychiatric care center in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, is where Dr. Cohen and Alicia converse, and the only literal setting of the novel. One could argue the real setting is Alicia’s mind, with Dr. Cohen plumbing its history and thoughts. But they converse in a physical world, even though that fact is rarely acknowledged in the text. Such breakthroughs do happen, on rare occasions - once, at the beginning of Chapter 6, in a moment of small talk, Dr. Cohen says “I was lucky to get here. The roads are terrible,” gesturing at a wider world beyond the care center (156). The physical details of the care center itself are never discussed. Dr. Cohen asks vague questions about her comfort, but does not talk about where she sleeps or eats, for instance. She at one point indicates that she has been neglectful of her hygiene...