Venice

The novel begins in Venice where Breuer has gone for a break from his stressful schedule. He visits Venice again during Freud's hypnotism at the end of the book. Whereas at the beginning Venice was a place of retreat, at the end it is a place where he feels lonely and out of place. This contrast helps Breuer to realize that he doesn't want to escape his life after all.

Vienna

The bulk of the novel takes place in Vienna where Dr. Breuer practices medicine and Sigmund Freud goes to school. The year is 1882. The weather is most often cloudy and cold, and Breuer longs for the sunshine.

Dr. Breuer's Office

Dr. Breuer's office is always bustling. He is highly sought by patients, and they arrive early because he usually takes them on a first come/first serve basis. Dr. Breuer's office is efficiently run by his...