Point of View

This novel is told from the perspective of a third person, omniscient narrator. The narration is written in the past tense. The voice of the novel is objective, with numerous, insightful comments into what characters are thinking but too fearful to speak aloud. While the narration itself is objective, much of the subject matter being discussed is quite dark and depressing, resulting in a novel with an overall dismal tone. A large factor in the novel is the Iranian revolution and what it did to families in its aftermath. In scenes related to the new Iran, narration has a clear bias against the strict laws established and enforced after the revolution. This regretful and exasperated remains throughout the majority of the novel, and it is not until after Zod dies that the tone begins to brighten with Noor's new found independence and strength.

Language and Meaning