Rass Island

Rass Island is the novel’s main setting and Louise Bradshaw’s hometown. The island is connected to the mainland by a single ferry that comes to the dock once a day. The majority of the population on Rass Island is fishermen and their families, with crab and oyster being the main catch. The island is insular, with only a single Methodist church, a schoolhouse, and a drugstore. All other goods and services must be brought in from the mainland. Since the island is so small, most of the inhabitants live extraordinarily similar lives, which is both a blessing and a curse. It is rare for islanders to move to the mainland, but most of the children on the island dream of one day leaving their hometown. Even as a child, Louise seems to recognize that Rass Island is not long for the world, as a bit...