Poland

The novel takes place in a village in the country of Poland, apparently in the modern day. Poland is an Eastern European country with a total population of about 38 million people. Poland is composed of several populous cities, smaller towns, and very rural areas. The novel takes place in a rural area. Poland’s weather is often harsh and cold, especially in winter, late fall, and early spring. The novel makes occasional references to this weather as a means of enforcing narrative tone.

Village

The novel takes place in and around an unnamed Polish village. The village is located near the border of Poland and the Czech Republic. Janina lives in a cabin in the woods on the outskirts of the village, and even her closest neighbors are fairly distant from her home. The village is fairly small in population, but the residents are still somewhat diverse in...