Here Be Dragons

What is the author's style in Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman?

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The point of view of this novel is third person omniscient. This novel covers a great deal of time and includes a great variety of characters; therefore, the author has chosen a point of view that allows her to move from character to character, showing the reader not only the actions of the plot but also the thoughts and emotions of the character through whom the author is speaking at that moment. This novel also includes another point of view that is referred to as the authorial voice. At various points throughout the novel it is necessary for the author to explain certain aspects of history that pertain to the plot of the novel and she does this by summarizing these events in an authorial voice.

The novel is split into two books, each containing its own set of chapters, the first with more than forty chapters and the second with only seventeen. The novel also includes a prologue and epilogue. The author has also provided an author's note that explains the research she did on the book, notes one instance in which she changed history to make the plot more congruent, and explains the title of the novel. This author's note, while the shortest passage in the book, includes information that helps the reader assimilate the information given in the story with factual history.

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Here Be Dragons