Points of View

The story is told from the point of view of Nicolas Barber, a fugitive priest who has abandoned Holy Order to perform with a company of travelling players. He tells the story in hindsight, shifting constantly between present happenings and clues regarding the future. However, Nicolas does more than tell a story. Along the way, he tries to distinguish between good and evil even as he moves the reader through the narrative. This is a unique narrative technique that would have been impossible through the narration of another character. A different narrator would have provided the same central story with a vastly distinct slant.

Setting

The novel takes place in an unnamed town in fourteenth-century England. The town struggles under the oppression of feudal ruler who carries out his own brand of justice. The novel takes place during a time when travelling players starved as they...