Point of View

Netherland is told entirely from the point of view of Hans van den Broek, at some point in 2006 after he has received a call to tell him that Chuck Ramkissoon has died. The novel is thus pieced together from Hans' memories, and is entirely subject to his perspective on the world. O'Neill uses this to great effect, as a recurring theme in the novel is Hans' inability to correctly read situations or patterns in his relationships until it is too late; because his memories all unfold as he experienced them, we are as surprised as him when Danielle fails to call him back and he never sees her again, when the tooth he finds in a candy bar turns out to be his, or when his son's new "friend," Martin, turns out to be a man that his wife is dating.

There are also moments...