Oman

Oman is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Oman abolished slavery in 1970, making it one of the last countries in the world to do so. The novel mostly focuses on Oman’s history from the middle of the twentieth century onward. The story uses the characters’ individual stories to explore the effects and dynamics of Oman’s sociopolitical changes in the past decades. The novel also makes occasional references to the Omani Civil War, which occurred from 1962 to 1976.

Al-Awafi

Al-Awafi is a fictional town in Oman. It is the hometown of Abdallah and Mayya’s families. al-Awafi is relatively rural in comparison with Muscat, Oman’s capital and urban center. Mayya and Abdallah were both born and raised in al-Awafi. After Mayya and Abdallah marry, they remain in al-Awafi. Asma and Khawla also remain in al-Awafi after they marry their respective husbands. Abdallah...