New York City

The first chapter of the first part of the novel is set in New York City, where protagonist Boy lives with her violent, abusive father. While there are moments of happiness for Boy in the city (due primarily to her relationship with the warmhearted Charlie), she remains desperate to get out, and takes a bus to the furthest possible place that her money can buy: Flax Hill.

Flax Hill

Flax Hill, in the New England / North-Eastern section of the United States, is the setting for most of the narrative. Following her urgent, desperate escape from New York, Boy finds herself in this small, conservative, image-conscious town.

1950’s – 1960’s

The novel’s setting in time is noteworthy in that it straddles two important periods of American history: the boom in prosperity and conservative values of the 1950’s, and the emergence of the Civil Rights movement in the...