What is the narrator point of view in the novel, The Muralist?

The Muralist features a total of five character narratives. Danielle Abrams is the present-day protagonist, her narrative taking place from 2015-2016. Danielle's perspective is featured in 17 chapters, and the only point of view occurring in the first person. B.A. Shapiro's choice to feature Danielle's narrative in the first person emphasizes the story as a mystery of personal and familial significance to be solved by this character. Danielle's great-aunt Alizée is the second protagonist, with 25 chapters dedicated to her third-person narratives from 1939-1941; an additional chapter takes place in 1946 titled under Josephine's third-person perspective, based on the identity Alizée takes on during and after the war. Most of the novel occurs in the past, with Alizée's perspective taking up the majority of these chapters; this firmly roots the story in history and the context of Alizée's life.

Accentuating Alizée's storyline are the third-person perspectives of Mark Rothko, Lee Krasner, and Eleanor Roosevelt occurring in the same historical context. Their narratives present an outside perspective on Alizée, offering specific insights into her life and contributing to the reality of pre-war America that B.A. Shapiro develops in the novel. The points of view of Mark Rothko and Lee Krasner take up six chapters from 1939-1941; their perspectives shed light on Alizée's declining mental health, opposing political and artistic opinions, and the circumstances following her disappearance. Six chapters are similarly dedicated to Eleanor Roosevelt between 1939-1940, as well as 1946. The author's fictionalization of a historical figure emphasizes Alizée's potential to inspire political change, while giving readers insight into American politics; specifically, Eleanor's perspective and interactions with President Roosevelt provide an inside view on American isolationism, the White House, and governmental conspiracy.