Point of View

Told in a first person narrative from 16-year-old Esther's perspective, The Infinite Pieces of Us maps a young girl's attempts to grow beyond the decisions of her past. By establishing a close psychic distance with Esther, the author is able to fully inhabit the protagonist's thoughts and emotions. Because the story is told in the first person, the narrative inherently belongs to Esther.

Throughout the novel, the reader sees the ways in which Esther's family has stripped her of her agency. She had no choice but to give up her child for adoption, neither was she asked if she wanted to move from Ohio to New Mexico. Once living in Truth or Consequences, her stepfather continues to exhibit rigid control over Esther's life and decisions, forcing her to participate in church activities, and disallowing her from attending public school. Esther, therefore, feels she has no...