Clapham

Most of the novel takes place in Clapham, a small town with a strong local identity. For Astrid, maintaining the character of Clapham is a matter of personal pride. All three of Astrid’s children grew up in Clapham and have their own relationships to the town: Nicky escaped at a young age; he now lives in New York City with his wife, Juliette, and Astrid believes he does not like Clapham. Elliot and Porter still live in the area: Porter has her own goat farm and cheese business and Elliot owns a construction business and has begun buying real estate in town.

The Roundabout

The Clapham roundabout is the heart of the town. The roundabout runs around a gazebo and several local businesses are situated around it. The most significant of these are Shear Beauty, which is where Birdie cuts hair, and Spiro’s Pancake house, an...