Point of View

The novel is told almost completely in first-person narration through the use of letters and journal entries from a wide array of characters. Each character brings to their portion of the narrative a personal set of worldviews, allowing the story of Octavius’s life to be both deep and wide. Julia’s point of view, for example, gives the reader a chance to experience first-hand the effects of Octavius’s rule on those he loved. Each character also brings with them a set of biases, leaving it up to the reader to sort truth from exaggeration.

Some of the characters write their letters in the present moment of their happenings, while others write in hindsight, adding another layer to the narrative. For example, the reader is told about Antonius’s suicide much before it happens.

Language and Meaning

Many of the narrators are well-educated, and...