Although Among the Hidden’s narrative frequently references Luke’s country, the government, and the president, there is a deliberate omission of which county the novel takes place in. There are parallels between the pre-famine history of Luke’s country and the modern values of many developed nations across the globe. These parallels include the importance of freedom and personal liberty, the democratic structure of the pre-famine government, and the promotion of equality for all citizens. The intentional omission of a country name or geographical location is designed to provoke the reader to consider the possibility that government overreach, restrictions of freedom, and a dystopian future can happen in any country regardless of the freedoms and human rights the country champions in the present. The provocative effect of this ambiguity gives Among the Hidden an important place in young adult dystopian fiction by presenting readers with a grounded and realistic depiction of how a free society can topple into authoritarianism.

On a smaller scale, the tightly focused setting of Among the Hidden is restricted to Luke’s house, Jen’s house, and the limited space between them. This restriction contributes to a

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