Point of View

The novel is written in third person from the limited perspective of Mika Suzuki. Mika was born in Japan. After Mika's family moves to America, her mother hates that they have lost the Japanese traditions. Mika seems to be honest, but she does not present a particularly reliable perspective. For example, Mika feels that she is to blame for every problem that happens in her life. While that is sometimes true, it is not always true. She and Thomas make the decision together to keep their budding relationship a secret from Penny. Penny reacts badly when she finds out, and Mika believes that she has wrecked the relationship. In some situations, Mika is simply unable to provide an unbiased view. For example, she feels her mother is demanding and critical, and Mika evaluates every interaction with her mother based on that opinion. Mika eventually comes...