Point of View

Susan Dennard tells her novel "Something Strange and Deadly" as the first-person limited-omniscient narrative, from the perspective of main character and principal protagonist, Eleanor Fitt. Since the novel primarily involves Eleanor's efforts to find her brother, to navigate the tricky waters of love, and to combat the walking Dead with the Spirit-Hunters, there is no one better to tell Eleanor's story than herself. This allows the reader to understand her thoughts and feelings firsthand, and gives them a point of reference to which they can relate against the historical setting of 1876 Philadelphia. The novel is told in the limited-omniscient perspective in order to give the plot added mystery, allowing the reader to learn only what Eleanor learns as she learns it, and in essence, becoming a partner in solving the mystery.

Language and Meaning

Susan Dennard tells her novel "Something Strange and Deadly" in language...