England, 1873

The majority of the novel takes place in England in the year of 1873, a significant period in English history because of the shocking public fascination with the Tichborne trial, a case of potential fraudulence that gripped the people. England's position at this stage of history as a country ostensibly attempting to move past colonialism and slavery but in fact continuing to perpetuate similar cycles also has significant bearing on the novel's confrontations with race, class, and gender. The abolitionist and racial justice movements burgeoning at this point in English history are important functions of the novel's plot thanks to Eliza's increasing involvement with Henry Bogle, an advocate for civil rights. Dovetailing with these concerns about race and class is the novel's interest in the role of women during this period of English history, often examining the ways in which Eliza's financial privilege is mitigated by her status as...