North Falls High

North Falls High is the setting for the majority of the events that unfold throughout the novel. Within the school, information, specifically regarding Mr. Tracy and his alleged sexual crimes against students, spread rapidly. In this way, the setting is an epicenter of both community and conflict.

As a junior at North Falls, the novel's protagonist, Darren, struggles to find his place amongst his classmates and swimming teammates. The scandal at the center of the narrative, however, threatens the moral of not only Darren, but all of the students at the high school.

Mr. Tracy's Car

Mr. Tracy's car is the site of an intimate and confusing interaction between North Falls English teacher Mr. Tracy and 16-year-old Darren Flynn. When Mr. Tracy gives Darren a ride home after swim practice one day, he acts flustered in front of his student, behavior that unsettles Darren and stirs...