Point of View

Although the novel is written in the third person, the narrative is mostly constrained to Falk’s perspective. The main action of the novel consists of Falk’s attempts to uncover the truth behind the deaths of the Hadlers, and by focusing the scope of the novel to Falk’s own personal knowledge, the novel simulates the experience of the investigation for the reader as well. The reader does not find out new information unless Falk is given the information from an outside source, or unless Falk makes a deduction on his own. Additionally, the process of getting to know Falk himself is another source of slow revelation for the reader, as Falk’s backstory and his relationship with Kiewarra become steadily more evident as Falk interacts with the locals.

The novel occasionally strays from Falk’s perspective in order to explore the memories or...