Ireland

Ireland, as the primary setting for the novel, plays a significant role in shaping the characters’ experiences and struggles, particularly through its historical context as a deeply misogynistic society. For much of the 20th century, Ireland was a country where women’s rights were severely restricted, their roles largely confined to domesticity, their autonomy stifled by both church and state, and where divorce was illegal. The patriarchal history of Ireland influences Phil’s behavior towards the women in his life, as well as the expectations placed on the women themselves, especially in their relationships with men. For both Nell and Carmel, the emotional journeys they go on during the course of the novel are about the need to break free from the patriarchal norms of the past and establish lives for themselves as women on their own terms.

New Zealand

Nell’s time in New Zealand serves as...