Point of View

Fire Rush is told from the first-person perspective of the protagonist, Yamaye. Her narration and outlook shift between sections of the novel. When she meets Moose and begins a relationship with him, she is extremely positive. She emphasizes colour and beauty of the things and people around her, and she is optimistic, though her relationship with Asase causes occasional frustration on her part. However, after Moose is murdered, Yamaye becomes extremely depressed. Her narration for the first few chapters following Moose’s death becomes very sparse and to the point, which is even reflected in Chapter 7 not having a title.

Yamaye briefly regains a sense of false security with Monassa, but he quickly reveals himself to be abusive and cruel. From the beginning of Book Two, which mostly takes place within the Safe House, up until Monassa is arrested, Yamaye’s narration diverges between an...