Chicago

The primary setting of the novel is Chicago, most notably the Wicker Park neighborhood. This is an economically depressed neighborhood in the late twentieth century, but it slowly becomes gentrified. While they do not realize it at the time, protagonists Elizabeth and Jack are part of that gentrification process as they and their artistic community center themselves in the neighborhood so they can be apart from mainstream American culture and the more lucrative and commercial aspects of the art community. Jack lives in the Foundry, an invite-only artistic community. He lives in the building while it is being refinished so that he can document the process. When they meet, both protagonists live in buildings that have been converted from commercial properties into apartments. They live in Wicker Park until they eventually purchase a condo in Shipworks, but they never move into that building.

The Shipworks

The Shipworks is...