What is the author's style in Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson?

The point of view of the novel is first person, limited omniscience narration, told from the perspective of Isabel Finch/Lockton. This point-of-view is important to the novel because it creates a strong bond between the reader and the protagonist. This connection is integral to the success of the story, which focuses on a slave girl's decision about which side she should support during the Revolutionary War. As Isabel struggles to decide whether to spy for the Patriot or Loyalist Army during the Revolutionary War, the reader is given full access into her desperate, private thoughts. Both sides provide benefits and drawbacks for Isabel if she were to work for them, and without full access into Isabel's emotional journey, the reader would be very confused as to why Isabel flip-flops her loyalty so many times. Because the reader is held very close to Isabel, they are rewarded with a rich, complex character that will be impossible to forget. One of the most important themes in the novel is Isabel's exploration of loyalty, and if it were not for the specific point-of-view of the novel's narration, the reader would not be privy to her emotions, which make up a bulk of the narration. The novel is told primarily in exposition with scenes of dialogue used to characterize different relationships. The exposition beautifully creates the vivid historic world of New York during the Revolutionary War in well-researched detail that brings the history and emotionality of the time to life.