Shreve's spare style and the multiple layers of her novel—some more developed than others—provide for a variety of discussion possibilities. The changes that Kathryn undergoes are more psychological and gradual than one might expect from a suspense novel, making the book difficult to categorize and causing it to operate on more than one level. Shreve's very interior writing style allows her to mention layers of background material that hints at motivations, but she chooses not to explore the characters' pasts in much detail, instead leaving the reader to draw conclusions. In the same way, she often substitutes symbolic detail for more developed exploration. The lack of development in some areas may be considered flaws by some readers and strengths by others. At any rate, what Shreve examines and what she leaves vague raises many questions about character, genre, and technique.

1. Some reviewers...