Philippines, December 2002

The majority of the novel takes place in the Philippines and begins with Miguel's prologue, signed and dated December 1, 2002. The Philippines is Miguel's home country, although he is equally tied to the West as a Filipino-Canadian and later American writer. Its status as "home" is a major theme throughout the novel, as it is a homeland while simultaneously a foreign place to those who have been away from it for so long. The novel frequently invokes the numerous colonial forces which have occupied the Philippines, including Spain, the US, and Japan.

Manila

Manila is the capital city of the Philippines and is a metropole comprised of several smaller cities, including Quezon City and the wealthy Makati business district. Miguel spends the majority of his time going to and from Manila and within the metropole itself. Manila represents the heart of Miguel's quest for answers about Crispin, as...