Summary

Chapter 1 bounces back and forth between two very significant time frames in Pilgrim Lankester’s life: the spring her husband, Tom, leaves her and the Tanzanian safari she reactively takes as a newly single woman. Each of the many chapters in this section is short and focused on only one small event from the span of Pilgrim’s day. Each chapter is titled with the date and the location of the activities described in that chapter.

Pilgrim’s husband, Tom, promises to build their dream home together in Arnau, Switzerland. He tells Pilgrim that he will buy land and that they will build a custom house there. Tom asks Pilgrim to stay in Arnau alone and meld herself into the community, but it is quickly revealed that Tom wants Pilgrim out of the way while he prepares to leave her for his...