This location is introduced early in the novel, due to the background of Gemma's parents: Reykjavik is where her parents met. Despite being forced to move after her parents die, Gemma has fond memories of the short time she lived in Iceland. Livesey writes, "They had met in 1943 when my mother, Agnes, a WRNS, was posted to Iceland, and my father, a man who grown up in the shadow of glaciers and geysers, was working on the new docks in Reykjavik" (Livesey 15). Gemma often references her love for the water. This location becomes important in Gemma’s quest later in the novel to find her family. Iceland serves as the equivalent to Jane fleeing Rochester after she learns of Bertha in Jane Eyre. It is also a significant point in the novel, as Gemma steals money from Marian in order to be able to afford the trip (Livesey 400). Therefore, this trip to Iceland is the catalyst for her eventual rekindling with Mr. Sinclair, as she is now flawed, and dishonest for giving a false name and stealing money, just as Mr. Sinclair is flawed for lying to her about his past.
Bibliography: Livesey, Margot. The Flight of Gemma Hardy. HarperCollins, 2012.