What is the narrator point of view in the novel, The White Woman on the Green Bicycle?

The story is written from a split perspective. The first section of the story is written from an omniscient perspective though the majority of the focus is on George Harwood. There are some limitations, such as the fact that the reader doesn't know the thoughts of every character in every scene. As the story reverts back to 1956, the perspective reverts to first person from Sabine's perspective. The first section of the story covers the final days of George's life. The tone of that section is one of impending doom through the heartache of a couple who know they are nearing the end of their lives.

There are many sections of the book that are more upbeat with a hopeful tone. Sabine is miserable in Trinidad from the beginning but is determined to remain for George's sake. This colors her thoughts, attitudes, and actions toward the people and culture. She is afraid of some of the black people, especially the black men. This fear is heightened by her interaction with the “Robber Man” in a parade. She also feels a great level of guilt for the oppression of blacks. These attitudes also impact her perspective. An important part of Sabine's character is revealed through her attitude toward George's affairs. Though they are frequent, Sabine never really focuses on them from her personal perspective. This means they may not be very important to her.

The omniscient perspective in the first section of the book (which is the final section, chronologically,) gives the reader the first unbiased look at George's thoughts and motivations. In the sections that are from Sabine's perspective, the only insights into George's character are seen through his statements and actions, and those are interpreted by Sabine which means they may not be entirely accurate.