Hometown

The entirety of the novel is set in Clare and Aidan's hometown. Although the narrator notes that the town is a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, she never mentions the exact name or location of the town.

Clare has lived in this town for as long as she can remember. Therefore, on the night before leaving for college, Clare feels sad to say goodbye to all of "the landmarks that [have] been the background to her childhood" (5). She therefore designs the list, hoping it will be "a way for her to say goodbye to this town where [she has] lived her whole life" (6). The only flawed part of this plan, is that every place that feels meaningful to Clare is somehow also associated with her boyfriend Aidan. The list, therefore, takes the couple on a tour around the town, revisiting each place that has been significant to their relationship...