Point of View

The novel's plot unfolds through both third person narration and an unknown first-person narration. The first several chapters explore the history that leads up Annie and Sally's time with the Little Nursing Sisters, and explore the deep interiority of the nun's perspectives on their vocation and their interactions with others in the world. Some chapters are narrated by a mysterious narrator, who is later revealed as the son or daughter of Patrick and Sally's union. The first-person narrator tells stories that were told to them by Patrick and Sally, mainly those related to their personal experience outside of the convent. Both the third person narration and the first-person narration offer insights to different character perspectives.

The third person narration sections tend to focus on the nun's interior life, along with their doubts and personal struggles. The narration peers into Sister St. Saviour and Sister Illuminata's...