The story is told through a mixture of exposition and dialogue, with exposition making up the bulk of the action. Quotes are used if particularly important or memorable, but in most cases Xaviera just writes her recollection of events without attributing much dialogue to other characters. Some chapters deal more with lists and essay-like explanations of Xaviera's point of view on different topics. Such chapters include exposition only in the form of illustrative stories and take on an almost persuasive tone as Xaviera attempts to legitimize prostitution as a profession.