Point of View

The novel’s narration is written in the first person and the past tense. Lillian is the novel’s protagonist and narrator, meaning the entire story is told from her point of view. Moreover, her perspective and her character arc serve as the central narrative features of the overall story. In other words, the story is consistently defined in relation to Lillian’s thoughts, emotions, and personal changes. As a result, the most important character relationship in the novel is arguably the relationship between Lillian and the twins. As Lillian develops a deeper rapport with the twins, the relationship helps Lillian to grow as a person and find fulfillment beyond the past pain and disappointment of her life.

Lillian’s perspective also helps to define and frame the other character relationships in the novel, often with the effect of highlighting other characters’ personal flaws. For...