We were a vine and a fence. Music is an important element of Fugitive Pieces , and it is central to the lives of at least three of the characters, Bella, Alex, and Naomi. Jakob never feels truly at home anywhere, even in Greece. Ben's parents feel that their toehold in their new home is infinitely precarious, an emotion that communicates itself to Ben. The relationship between Ben and Naomi is a troubled one.
Science has as important a role in the novel as poetry and music.