Point of View

This novel is told from the point of view of an omniscient third-person narrator. Consider the opening sentences: “Tufts of cloud burned black before the sunrise, the horizon littered with the flotsam of old and rusted silhouettes. They were alone” (1). This sentence describes how Albert escorted Alec out to look at the horses for the first time. The “they” refers to Albert and Alec. This narrator focuses primarily on Cooper and Alec, but he also focuses on other characters, including Charles, Simon, Rebecca, and Albert in turn.

The narrator is all-knowing, but he does not necessarily tell all that he knows. He incorporates information into the novel as he believes the reader needs it. For instance, the narration surrounding Alec hints at something Alec did to Elizabeth to ruin their relationship, but the narrator does not specify what Alec did to Elizabeth until almost the...