Toronto

The novel begins in Toronto, where Paul is studying finance at the University of Toronto. He lives in a single dorm on campus and has no friends or family in his life. It is the resulting loneliness that causes Paul to visit nightclubs in the downtown area. At one of these, a club located "in a basement under a goth clothing store" (7), Paul meets the band Baltica. They encourage him to visit a dance club called System Sound, and this is where Paul gives Charlie and Annika the ecstasy that causes Charlie's heart to stop.

Vancouver

Fleeing the repercussions of Charlie Wu's death, Paul goes to visit Vincent in Vancouver where she is living with her friend Melissa. Paul notes that the part of town they are living in is "the sketchiest neighborhood" he has ever seen, and that their building is across the street from "a little...