Point of View

For the most part, the story is told from the third-person limited point of view. Its narrative perspective is that of protagonist Deven Sharma, following his outer experiences and exploring his inner life as he moves through a series of increasingly challenging encounters and situations. There are a few points in the narrative when its point of view shifts into third-person omniscient – that is, into the outer experiences and inner lives of other characters. There are, for example, glimpses into the perspectives of Deven’s sullen wife Sharla, his manipulative friend Murad, and his deteriorating idol Nur. For the most part, though, the narrative retains its focus on Deven.

Both Deven’s external and internal experiences are defined by his love of poetry. That love, and his reactions to the different ways in which it is challenged, defines the book’s central thematic point of...