Point of View

This book is told from the first person narration of Lucy Barton, a young woman battling an unknown illness in a hospital. Later, as a published author, the same Lucy Barton, older and somewhat wiser, expounds upon how her life progressed and turned out, and what she has learned along the way.

Language and Meaning

The language and meaning in this novel are both beautiful and rich in texture. Read for a surface story, it is compelling and offers enough intrigue to make the pages turn themselves. However, for those taking the time to read closely, it is a deep, introspective, courageous delving into the nature of love, relationships, and findings one's place in life.

Structure

The book jumps around in the main character's timeline, and is often told in flashbacks as she remembers key and significant instances in her life and the lessons she...