The Hague

The Hague is a city in the Netherlands, and it is the main setting of the novel. The narrator’s parents are from Singapore, but she has lived most of her adult life in New York City. After the recent death of her father, she applied to work as an interpreter in the International Court of Justice in The Hague, and she was hired on a short-term basis. In The Hague, the narrator begins dating Adriaan, a woman who is recently separated from his wife. The narrator never feels truly at home in The Hague, nor does she seem to feel at home elsewhere. However, her main hope in the novel seems to be the possibility of remaining in The Hague long-term with Adriaan.

International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice, located in The Hague, was established in the year 1945. It is part of the...