Maida Vale is the setting of Connor Martin’s home and a point of contrast with Emma Corrigan’s own home in Islington. The novel gives the location significance through these domestic scenes and the distance between the two places, rather than through a broader description of the area.

Connor Martin’s Home

On a Saturday morning, Emma wakes in Connor Martin’s bed in Maida Vale. As she half-listens to him moving around the kitchen, the previous night returns to her: after supper and a frightening plane ride, Connor had met her at the airport and told her they were moving in together. The location is thus tied to the moment Emma recalls a major change in their relationship. Connor soon comes in with coffee, and Emma reaches to kiss him.

Distance from Islington

Maida Vale is also established in relation to Islington, where Emma lives. The journey from Connor Martin’s place to her home takes about half an hour; when Emma arrives, she finds Lissy working on an article. This brief travel detail places the two homes in separate parts of London and connects the intimate morning at Connor’s to Emma’s return to her own domestic and social life.