Point of View

The story is told by an unnamed narrator, who seems to be a contemporary of the main characters, Alvin and Peggy. This narrator seems to be a storyteller intent on spinning an entertaining yarn, and clearing up a story that has been told at fireplaces all around. This narrator seems to live in the 1800's in the alternate America which is the setting of the story, and he or she often refers to geographical or historical details as though most people are familiar with them. The narrator often uses foreshadowing to hint at what will happen later in the book, and in fact reveals on the first page that Alvin will be seen as a murderer at the end of the book. The point of view is somewhat complicated by the fact that the narrator is rather omniscient, and in fact, so are several of the...