Point of View

The novel is told entirely from Cassie’s point of view. She is the protagonist and the narrator of the story. The narration is written in the first person and the past tense, giving the impression that Cassie is reflecting on the events of the story after having already lived them. However, there is still often a sense of immediacy in the novel, as Cassie vividly recalls her thoughts and emotions from each distinct moment of the story. Cassie’s character arc is framed in large part as a mental and emotional journey. She begins the novel as a lonely person who—due to past trauma—is averse to intimacy. Over the course of the novel she learns to be more open to interpersonal connections such as familial understanding and romantic love.

The novel also derives drama from clashes in character perspectives. For example, Cassie...