Point of View

The novel is written from the perspective of Joy, a young woman initially caught in a loveless marriage who then marries Jack Lewis. Joy is thoughtful and observant. She has the mind and outlook of a poet, meaning she often provides lyrical descriptions of her experiences. She is enamored with England, at least partly because of the love she develops for Jack based on his novels and on their years of writing letters. That love has at least some effect on her perspective. In addition, she is captivated by the historical places in England. Even the ordinary places capture her imagination. During her first visit with Jack, Joy voices those observations. Both Jack and Warnie are willing to examine these places through Joy's eyes, which gives them a different view of the places they see so often.

The limited perspective means the reader does not...