Butler has characterized himself as a "deeply experimental" writer, one who feels the need to "push the limits of form in every book" and who is "fascinated by the question of the narrator."

Indeed, the matter of narrative voice proves to be the most interesting technical aspect of all three novels Butler has published to this date, although his interest in "voice" is pervasive. It is fair to say, in fact, as Butler himself has said many times in discussing his fiction, that his chief interest lies in creating the unique and individual voices of each of his characters. What he most likes to do is, as he puts it, "play the slide guitar of voices." This interest is both evident and realized in masterly fashion in all three novels; what is perhaps most remarkable is that it is done with such skill even in this first novel...