According to the missouri compromise, missouri was admitted to the union as a slave state, and was admitted to the union as a free state, and the 36° 30’ parallel line was drawn across the united states to divide the “free states” in the north from the “slave states” in the south.

so the story tells of someone named kaushik choudhuri, but he does not narrate the story, a girl named hema does. hema tells the story in a second person point of view because you (the reader) are supposed to be the boy named kaushik.

here's an excerpt i found: "i was ushered into the fitting room, your mother watching approvingly as i took off my coat and sweater and tried on the bra."

source: