Forest Grove

Forest Grove is the village that is the main setting for the majority of this novel. Melissa and her family, Bill and Rosemary, Andrea Cooper, and other characters all call this village home. The people who live in the village are very protective of the people they consider their own. For instance, when Patrick is hurt, they bond together to try to find his attacker. People who do not belong to the village, like Ryan, are ostracized. Even though Ryan lived in the forest long before the village ever existed, he is not accepted by the people there because he keeps to himself and does not conform to the standards set by the villagers.

Oak Tree

The huge old oak tree in the forest is a significant setting because of the tree’s connection to Melissa’s life. It is the setting of multiple traumatic events for...