What are the Kothaga people? How are they related to the Mbwun figurine? What is Mbwun? Why is the woman in the Amazon afraid of the Mbwun? How does Margo make a connection between this woman and the packing materials? What are the packing materials? How did they get into the cargo? What does Gregory Kawakita do with these packing materials at the end of the novel? What does this suggest about the future for both the people of New York and Gregory?

Who is Margo Green? What tragedy has taken place in her family? Why does she work at the museum? What is the nature of her research? Why is she writing a dissertation? What is a dissertation? What decision does Margo have to make? Why does she hesitate to make this decision? What does this say about Margo's character?

Who is William...