Point of View

Heart-Shaped Box is written in the third person, and the point of view throughout the novel is that of Judas (Jude) Coyne, a 54 year old semi-retired heavy metal music legend. Jude is present in every scene in the novel and all of the action and events that take place in the book are presented as they are seen, felt, and experienced by him. The point of view is reliable in as much as it accurately shows what Jude is seeing and experiencing at any given time; however, in several important scenes what Jude sees and experiences is not real, but rather is the result of the dead man, Craddock McDermott, exercising varying levels of control over Jude’s mind. Throughout the narrative the author provides insights into what Jude is thinking and feeling, which helps the reader connect with the character and care about what...