Detroit

Detroit is the most populous city in the state of Michigan. Nearly the entire novel takes place in Detroit. Fabiola arrives in Detroit after traveling with her mother from Haiti, but her mother is detained on the east coast of the country by immigration authorities. In Detroit, Fabiola lives with her aunt and her cousins on the west side of the city while attending private school, navigating the unfamiliar social customs of America, and trying to figure out how to secure her mother’s freedom.

The House

Jo and her daughters live in a small house on the west side of Detroit. Fabiola lives with them and begins to assimilate into their family unit. The house becomes Fabiola’s new home as she settles into her new life. In the house, her cousins educate her about various social norms of the neighborhood, and Fabiola attempts to use this...