Syracuse, New York

The novel is set in the city of Syracuse, which is located in upstate New York. (Syracuse is also the city of residence of the novel’s author.) At several points in the narrative, the novel examines the present-day sociopolitical dynamics of Syracuse, as well as the city’s overarching historical phenomena. More specifically, the book highlights ways in which Syracuse (like all U.S. cities) has been shaped practices that have politically and economically disadvantaged non-white residents. Sam struggles with how she, as a white resident, can help to remedy those phenomena. She also struggles with issues of pollution related to industrial growth.

Two Houses

Towards the beginning of the novel, Sam moves out of the house where she has lived for years with her husband Matt and their daughter Ally. She moves into a house in a much less prosperous area of Syracuse. Sam...