Point of View

The novel is narrated in the first-person perspective of Em. This serves several purposes. Most importantly, it allows for strong reader identification with Em, and helps to create a sympathetic protagonist. If Cabot had written in the third-person perspective, for example, the glamor of being a model might still seem tempting to the average reader such as the lifestyle, the paychecks, and other perks. However, by witnessing how Em suffers on nearly every level - social, familial, and romantic - the reader can follow the narrative tension that Cabot creates and understand Em's motivations better. This is particularly important on a romantic level, as she kisses not only Christopher, her true love, but also Brandon and Gabriel. Similarly, her narration helps the reader to understand exactly why she decides to help Steven, and how she can justify the many risks she takes throughout the book. Finally...