The novel is set decidedly in New York City. Wersba depicts the boroughs of the city, and the various sections of Manhattan, with clarity and detail, so that the reader can feel that he or she is walking with Harvey through the streets or in the park.

The seasons change during the story—winter is melting into spring, and the budding leaves seem to mirror the blooming that is happening in Harvey's own life.

It is important that the story be placed in the city, for the lifestyle that Chandler leads would likely be obsolete in any other town—only in New York do success and failure ride so closely together, and make such a big difference in the way one lives one's daily life. Also, the significance of city life is pronounced with regard to Harvey's mother's activities—the fact that she keeps five...