13 Little Blue Envelopes

13 Little Blue Envelopes is set across various European cities, each providing a backdrop that contributes to Ginny’s adventures and personal growth. Ginny visits London, England; Edinburgh, Scotland; Rome, Italy; Paris, France; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Corfu, Greece. Ginny compares and contrasts aspects of the cities with one another and with cities in the United States, describing the cultural and architectural differences she observes.

Ginny traverses the United Kingdom, made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, as she travels between London, the capital of the UK and England, and Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Off the northwest coast of mainland Europe, the UK is the homeland of numerous major contributions to the arts, including playwright William Shakespeare and authors Charles Dickens and J. R. R. Tolkien. Additionally, because of the long historical presence of these European countries, architecture is often regionally unique, particularly in comparison to US cities. London, for example, is particularly diverse architecturally, as events such as the Blitz and the Great Fire of London in 1666 have left some historical buildings while requiring reconstruction in other areas time and time again. Outside the UK, cities like Corfu, Greece, offer a much different aesthetic and culture for Ginny to explore. Corfu is notable for its Venetian architecture. Corfu also offers numerous sites affiliated with ancient Greece and Greek mythology, including the Temple of Artemis and Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The settings in the novel are vividly described. In each new location, Ginny notes what makes the city distinct from the others she’s visited and what makes it feel different from her hometown in New Jersey. Most notably, Ginny observes the unique architectural styles and the long history of the cities she visits. Ginny, for example, comments on the tiered structure of Edinburgh, which circles a center hill that is topped by a castle. In Rome, she is struck by the juxtaposition of crumbling, ancient ruins and modern, glass-sided buildings. In Paris, Ginny observes the wide avenues and manicured gardens.

Ginny does much of her traveling by train, a mode of travel that is more common—and more affordable—in Europe than it is in the United States. The ease of access and interconnectivity of the countries in Europe is facilitated by the European Union. Except for the UK (England and Scotland), all the countries that Ginny visits are members of the European Union; documentation needed to travel between the countries is minimal, and the rail services offer special pricing for European students and other groups. Ginny observes the culture created by this ease of travel; her fellow train passengers are all very accustomed to riding trains, and many of the people Ginny meets are very casual about traveling between the countries. This contrasts with Ginny’s experience; this trip marks her first time leaving the US.