Point of View

The Colony adopts a shifting third-person point of view that occasionally devolves into flurries of first-person musing. The decision to maintain this revolving approach to the novel's perspective is integral to its achievement of its themes, as Magee does not inhabit merely the mind of the colonizer or merely the mind of the colonized. Indeed, in hopping from one perspective to the next—sometimes within the same section of text—Magee manages to achieve an elevated sense of empathy for each of her characters without sacrificing the novel's sharp critique of imperialism and its impact on human relations. Furthermore, this merry-go-round of perspectives allows Magee to create tension through omission where this is a necessary technique to keep the reader engaged. As James begins to realize that Lloyd has appropriated his paintings, for instance, the narration shifts away from providing the reader direct access to...