The sights, sounds, smells, and culture of the Maine coastal village where the story takes place is richly detailed. This is significant in that the aesthetic narration engages the natural setting, the early summer weather, and the ambiance of tourist season to create the setting with real accuracy. It is easy to see how a girl like Catherine would immerse herself in the natural world around her.

Another element of the setting is that the story is set in 2006. Thus, while mobile phones and TVs are mentioned a couple of times, newer and currently ubiquitous technologies like smartphones, HD televisions, CD and DVD players are not yet available. This enhances the small-town coastal ambience in which Catherine’s world operates.

By design, much of the depiction of a “summer at the beach” defeats the standard assumptions of most readers. The idea of a beach vacation during the summer break conjures images of splashing in the surf, buying souvenirs, and enjoying days of carefree relaxation. For most of the characters in Rules, however, summer on the shore involves work and sharing their world with the influx of those unknown strangers called tourists.