Venice, Los Angeles, 21st Century

The majority of the novel, save for the early chapters while Lucy is still in Phoenix, takes place in contemporary 21st-century Venice, Los Angeles. She describes the allure and the disgust she feels towards the odd combination of capitalism and New Age spirituality in California.

The Beach House

Lucy moves into her older, wealthy half-sister Annika’s house on Venice Beach for the summer to housesit and dog-sit. It is described as an ultra-modern glass fortress, minimalist in its interior, and with a striking view of the ocean. It is in contrast to Lucy’s small cluttered apartment in the desert of Phoenix. Here, Lucy nurses her depression with a multitude of white wine struggles with insomnia and takes care of Dominic. Eventually, she begins bringing Theo home with her and it becomes the setting of their love story.

The Rocks

Lucy first meets...