The Woods

The woods are a reoccurring place setting within the stories of this collection. "Uncle Sam Carrington," "As They Rode Along the Edge," "The Three Hunters," "The Sand Camel," and "Jemima and the Wolf" all take place, for the most part, in the woods. The woods are a magical place in which anything might happen. Horses talk, vegetables are living, anthropomorphized creatures exist, curses are real, sand camels come to life, and ghosts walks around. In the woods, nothing is impossible, and the characters are often forced to confront truths they would probably rather not.

Mexico

Mexico is another reoccurring place setting within the collection. "How to Start a Pharmaceutical Company," "A Mexican Fairytale," and "The Neutral Man" all take place in Mexico. As a place setting, it is a diverse country that creates many different types of stories. In the first story, Mexico is depicted in the...