Point of View

The novel is narrated from two points of view; Day’s and June’s. The chapters alternate between the two and stay in the first person present tense exclusively. Both characters narrate events and dialogue as well as inner thoughts, memories, and reflections. The narration is not omniscient, and one character’s narration often reveals facts about previous events that were not available from the other character’s point of view.

Language and Meaning

Lu uses distinct language to designate the history and class of the characters. The characters with lower-class backgrounds, including Day, Kaede, and Tess use informal language, curse words, and slang in their speech. For instance, Kaede and Day use the words “goddy” and “trot,” as well as curse words like “hell” and “damn.” Slang and swearing have historically been used as indicators of low educational and class status, and Lu uses...