Scarborough, 1980's and 90's

Most of the novel takes place in Scarborough, a neighborhood in Toronto with a dense population of lower-income immigrant families. It is described as "a suburb that had mushroomed up and yellowed, browned, and blackened into life" (13). It is portrayed by the media as a dangerous neighborhood. Michael and Francis live in an area of Scarborough called the Park, an area described as a "cluster of low-rises and townhomes and leaning concrete apartment towers" (5).

Michael and his mother's apartment

Michael and his mother live in a small apartment in a townhouse complex called the Waldorf, at the edge of the Lawrence Avenue bridge. The apartment has two bedrooms, one that Michael used to share with Francis and which still has a bunkbed, and the other for his mother. The living room contains a couch, a recliner, a coffee table, and a television. The kitchen is...