comment on point of view

The novel is written from the third person point of view. Over the course of the narrative, this third person narrator shifts between five of the Hildebrandt family members' perspectives. By dividing the narrative between Russ's, Marion's, Clem's, Becky's, and Perry's vantage points, the author is able to inhabit each of their distinct psyches and experiences. As the narrator moves behind these main characters' vantages, she assumes their particular internal concerns and struggles.