Leonia, New Jersey, USA 2020

Leonia, New Jersey is where Matthew lives with his mother and GG throughout the Covid lockdowns. His home is described as fairly big with an extensive yard, though Matthew spends most of his time throughout the novel with GG. While he lives here close to his friends, the lockdowns make Matthew feel isolated, especially as his mother worries about Matthew and GG’s health.

Kyiv, Ukraine, USSR 1932-1933

Kyvie, Ukraine is where Mila lives with her father, Lev, and caretaker, Dasha. While the city is struggling with food, there is a general feeling in the communist party that the peasants from the countryside are responsible for all of Kyiv’s problems. However, after Mila sees the emaciated body of children at the Collector and learns Nadiya’s story, it becomes more clear that Kyiv is consumed by propaganda. This is also where Mila is when...