comment on structure

Bastašić’s novel is divided into 12 chapter and five sections. Throughout, Bastašić tells the story through the first-person lens of Sara, who switches between the present day and the days of her childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood in war-torn Bosnia. The present-day sections mostly take place in the car, while she and Lejla drive from Bosnia to Vienna, making various stops for rest and tourism along the way. The flashbacks take place in their small hometown, their small college, and some days on the beach. The plot is driven by both girls’ desire to find Armin, Lejla’s older brother and Sara’s first love.