comment on structure

Afternoon of the Elves is divided into fifteen untitled chapters. The novel proceeds in chronological order, beginning with Hillary's first encounter with the elf village in Sara-Kate's backyard, and culminating in Hillary's decision to remake the elf village in her own yard after Sara-Kate has been taken away. Chapter divisions usually come with logical breaks in the story narrative. For example, Chapter Seven deals with Hillary's first frightening experience in Sara-Kate's home, and Chapter Eight deals with the immediate aftermath of that encounter. Chapters often end with tense cliffhangers that help spur reader interest and help propel the reader forward. For example, Chapter Twelve ends with Mrs. Lenox knocking at Sara-Kate's door, threatening to expose the circumstances of Sara-Kate's living arrangements. And Chapter Four ends with Hillary glancing up to see Sara-Kate's mother's ghostly face in the window, creating many questions in the reader's mind.