Point of View

This novel uses a first-person narrator, the main character and protagonist Belle McElroy. As a narrator, Belle is capable of describing, at length, her personal emotions and feelings about any situation, as opposed to being a dispassionate observer. For instance, in the very first scene of the novel, as Belle approaches the company Christmas party, she is very aware of both the context of the party and her role within it: "Staying cool and professional and never slipping into some gossiping, pretty-girl mode is a strategy that's gotten me places" (2). At several points, such as in this example, Belle will also look to relevant moments from the past to illuminate the full context of present-day events.

Because Belle is under so much stress throughout the novel, in both her personal and professional life, there is the sense that Belle, since her life is moving in...