Where It All Goes Down
Rural England
Will and his family live in the middle of nowhere in England. This sets a placid stage, making the adventure that leaps into our main man's life all the more exciting given its contrast to his surroundings. Before Will even has an inkling he's an Old One, we're given the following description of his home:
Will dipped out a pail of pellets from the bin in the farm-smelling barn, which was not really a barn at all, but a long, low building with a tiled roof, once a stable. (1.12)
That's right, Shmoopers: He lives on a freaking farm. If that's not the definition of quiet and serene, then we don't know what is. In getting the details of his day-to-day life before his quest begins, we can compare the two. His home life is stable, rural, and quaint—but traveling through time and discovering hidden Signs is anything but.