Author's Note: Truth be told, I had to write all this out for myself before writing this because I kept losing track! I figure that this (abbreviated) list of districts will help readers better understand the book!

On the island that used to be known as Great Britain, your way of life is based on the manner in which you'd like to live. There are ten districts - Innocence, Glamour, Maturity, Adulthood, Ease, Mannered, Freedom, Truth, Ruled, and Danger. On your 6th birthday, you choose which town you will live in until you turn 13, when you choose again, and then at 18, 21, 40, and 60. Except in Adulthood, Mannered, Ruled, and Truth, there is no leader - most districts are run by the Center, which provides decent leadership.

Innocence: Capital: Pure. Uses Money: No. Main Characteristics: Children are never taught anything remotely adult, be it sexuality, puberty, or death. Those who come, lured by the promise of a town where they can be a kid forever, seldom leave, as few are ever taught that the other districts exist, or, if they do exist, they're much harder to live in than Innocence. Adults from the Center run behind the scenes, cleaning up anything dead and fixing anything broken. The town looks like one giant kid's show, and there is no leader. It was created with good intentions - keeping kids innocent - but it grew into a nightmare.

Glamour: Capital: Thrill. Uses Money: No. Main Characteristics: Glamour is where college parties never end. Drinking age is 13, monogamy is a thing of the past, and kids born there often wind up dumped in Innocence. As you get older, plastic surgery is mandatory, and your attractiveness can often equal your standing in the city, and your bank account. (basically, if you can charm someone into giving you something, you can have it, though some more old-school folks choose to trade and barter.) The town looks like a sparkling capital city where the fun never ends, but it can just as often be a dream as a nightmare.

Maturity: Capitol: Mellow. Uses Money: No. Main Characteristics: Kids here are taught from the minute they're old enough to speak about everything you usually learn later, from death to sexuality to taxes. There is no innocence here. Other than that, it's a normal life, but there's no difference between "kid books" and "adult books." The only form of adult/kid discretion is drinking age - 21. Other than that, you are an adult from the age of 6. You can get money, but it goes in your account and no one ever cares - everything in Maturity is free. Money is only in case you go to Adulthood or Manner.

Adulthood: Capital: Age. Uses Money: Yes. Main Characteristics: Basically The Office but boring. You start a desk job at the age of 18 - after training from the age of 6. Nothing colorful is in this entire district, and nothing fun. The leader is the richest person, referred to as "The Man." (what would happen if there was a female leader is anybody's guess.) However, The Man is a figurehead - the people are too engrossed in their jobs to care. One of two districts that still use money.

Ease: Capital: Simplicity. Uses Money: No. Main Characteristics: Life is retirement. Life is lazy and long, and though younger people may find it boring, the elderly love life in Ease. Healthcare is insanely good, and the town looks like a housing development. It's a wonderful place to retire, beside a small, calm beach. A rather small district.

Mannered: Capital: Elegant. Uses Money: Yes. Main Characteristics: Everything looks like Britain of the 1700s, complete with poofy outfits, knee breeches, and powdered wigs. Your manners are your ranking, but like the 1700s, it's also a town of misogyny and uppityness and backstabbing. There is still money here, and a leader - the town is a monarchy, passed by blood. It was created by men who decided that the olden days were better - the really olden days. It looks like a Georgian town, complete with castle.

Freedom: Capital: Right. Uses Money: No. Main Characteristics: Here, there are minimal laws - don't harm others and don't steal or break things being basically the only ones. There is no money, and you can stay up as late as you want, get as much as you want, whatever. Drinking age is 16 and driving age is 12. Housing is first-come, first-served, and there is no ranking system.

Truth: Capital: Reality. Uses Money: Undecided, tbh. Main Characteristics: A version of Maturity that's a bit more rebellious. You not only are trained how to be an adult from the age of six, but you are taught how to speak out against anything you believe is wrong. Reality doesn't have a leader, it has a council of leaders. Lying is the highest crime, even white lies, so everyone there is brutally honest. It looks like a large capital city.

Ruled: Capital: Order. Uses Money: No. Main Characteristics: In Ruled, there is a law for literally everything, from the hour you wake up to the hour you sleep. How many calories you get is regulated, as is your spouse and your home. Everything looks similar. This was created by people who hated lawlessness and needed rules for everything.

Danger: Capital: Peril. Uses Money: No. Main Characteristics: The biggest, most dangerous thrill simulation there ever was. Games include running over hot coals, bungee-jumping off buildings, and doing 60-foot diving board jumps. It's the grittier form of Glamour, but without as much drinking. (monogamy is still uncommon, but unlike Glamour, it's not unheard of.) Many teens join it, and there are three basic types of people - the Cheaps, who joined for some cheap thrills and plan to leave when they turn 21; the Thrillers, who joined for the thrill but retired to Ease at 60, and the All-Ins, who keep going past 60 and plan to live a Danger and die a Danger.