Point of View

If He Had Been with Me is told in first person perspective, from Autumn’s point of view. This is especially useful as the main plot follows her friendship with Finny, which is wrought with miscommunication. Autumn has a deep inner world, which contrasts the pettiness of her surroundings.

One way that Nowlin builds suspense in the novel is through narrative interjections. For instance, Autumn switches to past tense—instead of her usual present tense—to describe a photo The Mothers take of her and Finny at graduation: “That was the picture they framed” (263). This interjection introduces a melancholy mood to an otherwise happy chapter, suggesting that there are sad days ahead for Autumn and Finny’s families.

Second, Nowlin foreshadows Jamie and Autumn’s eventual breakup through narration at prom. After describing their slow dance, Autumn declares, “It was one of our best moments...