Point of View

The Secret Book of Flora Lea is told through third-person limited narration focusing on Hazel’s point of view. This is useful given Hazel’s tendency to conceal her emotions from those closest to her, like Barnaby or even Kelty. The narrator also looks at Peggy’s point of view, though these chapters are few and far between. The necessity of concealing difficult truths from Mother makes secrecy an essential part of Peggy’s life.

Having a third-person narrator focus on Hazel in her youth is especially useful, as her adolescent hormones contribute to her erratic behavior. The narrator describes Hazel’s perplexing reaction to Harry’s offer to help with her homework: “Because, she wanted to scream at him, if you help me I will like you even more than I already do and if I like you even more than I already do...