Point of View

The narrative is written in the past tense and uses a limited third person perspective. In other words, although the narration is written in the third person, it is not omniscient, and instead it adheres to one character’s perspective at a time. The main perspectives in the novel follow Nargis, Lily, Helen, Imran, and Aysha. The novel also adopts the perspectives of Burhan and Solomon in brief instances. The narrative conveys these perspectives by expositing upon the characters’ thoughts and feelings. The narration also describes events and experiences from the given character’s point of view. Notably, these five main point-of-view characters fill the roles of protagonists in the face of the antagonism that surrounds them. These characters are so central to the story because they represent decency and goodness in the face of the violence and corruption that oppresses them throughout the narrative...