The market

The market is the first setting introduced in the novel. It is significant as it is the site of a riot that occurs on the day of Vivek’s death and is an indirect cause of his death. The riot at the market is shown from the point of view of Osita and Ebenezer, the vulcanizer, at various times in the book. Ebenezer works at the junction near the market, and a story of his personal life is linked to the events in the rest of the novel by both theme and location.

The village house

The house known as “the village house” is the home that belonged to Ahunna, Chika and Ekene’s mother and Vivek’s grandmother. At one point many years after Ahunna’s death, Ekene begins to spend more time there and is sometimes joined by his son Osita and his wife Mary...