Point of View

The story is told from the first-person point of view of protagonist Joe Biden, a fictionalized version of the real-life, former Vice President of the United States. On one level, this stylistic choice is fitting for the novel’s genre: mystery thrillers of this sort are often narrated in first person, often by the detective as is the case here. On another level, this choice allows room for a degree of comedy and political commentary, as this fictionalized Joe (perhaps like the real-world Joe) is not particularly shy when expressing his opinions, particularly when it comes to the presidential administration that came after the administration he was part of (the Obama administration). On a third level, this stylistic choice allows for clear, pointed, and occasionally poignant consideration of a number of the book’s central themes.

As the author portrays him, this fictionalized Joe is...