Point of View

The book is narrated from the first person subjective point of view, giving it an atmosphere of immediacy. The reader feels, in many instances, very present with the author as she has her experiences - the sensations of heat, dryness and the irritation of the clouds of insects are evoked with particular effectiveness. The author's narrative of her emotional reactions to what's happening (her shock and fear when she sees her clothes being burned, her wonder resulting from the apparently miraculous healing of Great Stone Hunter, her desperation when she feels she's failing the tribe) is similarly engaging and evocative. On another level, however, the first person point of view also invites the reader to move with the author beyond the level of physical experience, opening up the possibility of participation in the narrative's spiritual journey as well. In other words, this particular point of view...