Point of View

The novel is written in third person but from limited perspectives. The first chapter is from the limited perspective of Jerusza, an old woman who is obeying a divine voice instructing her to kidnap the young daughter of Alwine and Siegfried Juttner in Berlin. Jerusza knows a lot of intimate details about the family. She either does not know or does not reveal an important detail – that Alwine is hiding her Jewish identity. Jerusza believes her direction comes from God but acknowledges it could be madness.

Beginning in Chapter 2, the novel is limited to Yona's perspective. Yona is the kidnapped baby who grows up in the forest under Jerusza's care. There is no doubt that Jerusza's lessons, isolation, and Yona's lack of knowledge about herself play roles in her perspective. For example, Jerusza spends a lot of time saying Yona is safe only as long...