Iowa City

Iowa City is the primary setting for the novel. Indeed, this location is the setting that brings all of the characters together. Defined by its barrenness and brutal winters, the city compels the characters into intimate relationships one with another. The majority of Taylor's characters have come to Iowa City in order to pursue graduate degrees at the University of Iowa. Even if they are not in the same programs and fields, the characters' lives are constantly intersecting.

Hospice

When Seamus first moves to Iowa City, he finds work at a local hospice. He takes a job in the kitchen, having taught himself how to cook over the years. Although he often complains about having to pay for his education, Seamus enjoys working at the hospice. He likes his coworkers and he enjoys listening in on the residents' conversations.

Seamus's relationship with the place changes, however, after...