Point of View

The majority of this novel is written from the narrative position of limited third-person, with the reader taking in the events of the novel alongside the perspective of detective Louise Rick. This narrative position maintains much of the suspense of the novel. In the same way that Louise does not know the identity of the perpetrators until momentarily before apprehending them, the reader does not affirmatively know the identity of the perpetrators either. Seeing the novel develop from alongside Louise’s perspective also means that the reader sees parts of Eik’s caring but tortured personality slowly reveal themselves over time. By hearing Louise’s personal thoughts and feelings about investigating such brutal crimes so close to significant landmarks in her childhood and early adulthood, the novel also develops its significant theme of characters being held captive by their past. This theme is shared by...