Point of View

The novel is written from a network of distinct first and third person limited points of view. The "Ma Lou" sections which open and close the novel are written from Ma Lou's first person point of view in the days, months, and years following the 2010 earthquake. "Sara" is written from a third person limited point of view, following Sara's emotional and psychological experiences before, during, and after the earthquake. "Sonia" is written from Sonia's first person point of view on the day of the earthquake. "Richard" is written from Richard's first person vantage point in the days and hours preceding the earthquake. "Leopold" is written from a third person limited narrator's perspective, and depicts the hours and days Leopold spends trapped in the hotel elevator. "Taffia" is written from Taffia's teenage first person point of view, and marries scenes from her life just prior to...