Point of View

The novel is narrated in the present tense and in the first person from the point of view of main character Jayne Baek. This narrative style allows the reader close proximity to Jayne’s experiences as they occur. Jayne is a transparent narrator in that she does not appear to have any intention of deceiving the reader, or to have any conscious intention of relaying details at all. The present tense has the effect of emphasizing that while Jayne is telling the story, she is not controlling or crafting the narration, as the reader has the impression of receiving information at the same time she does. This gives her voice an intimate quality, and gives her descriptions a sense of immediacy. For example, Jayne’s initial description of New York provides an intense view of her internal perspective as well as the city around her...