As a first-person narrator, Wash provides an account of his life and experiences to date. Why do you think Edugyan chose first-person narration for the novel, and what purpose does this intimate relationship with the narrator serve?

Edugyan dwells on the significance of family, whether adopted or blood-related. What are some of the familial relationships Edugyan explores, and how is family important to the novel?

Wash travels from Barbados to the Arctic to Morocco and many places in between. What significance does the change in location have to the story, and how does it affect Wash’s character?