Virginia

Before and during the war, ConaLee, Eliza, and Dearbhla live in Virginia. Eliza has lived here for as long as she can remember. Over time, she makes a home and family with O'Shea and Dearbhla in this location, and later with ConaLee. Because the characters all have a history with "their isolated Allegheny ridge in frontier Virginia," they also all have intimate relationships with the natural world (45). Virginia is therefore the setting for the majority of the characters' flashbacks. ConaLee, Eliza, and O'Shea are taken from their Virginia home because of the War, and therefore can only return to it in their minds.

Dearbhla's sections of the novel are primarily set in this location as well. While the other characters leave this setting, Dearbhla remains at her Virginia home both during and after the War. However, after O'Shea, ConaLee, and Eliza disappear, Dearbhla starts to question who the...