New York

New York is the main setting for the novel. It is a city unlike any other, Natasha explains, and it is a city to which she will ever after compare all other cities. Daniel harbors similar romantic views about the city, wherein he may find Signs from God about life and his purpose in life. It is in New York that Natasha and her family have come to live following their illegal entry into the United States, and they have lived there for years. New York is where Daniel’s parents immigrated, and where Daniel and Charlie were born. New York is the place where Daniel and Natasha meet and fall in love during her last day in America.

USCIS security station

The United States Customs and Immigration Services security station is where Irene works and delays Natasha. Lonely, Irene has taken the job because it allows...