Point of View

There are two narrators in the novel: The Mothers and the omniscient narrator that covers the trio of Luke, Nadia, and Aubrey. The Mothers are a group of older woman who live in Oceanside and are part of the Upper Room Chapel congregation. These women are hawkish and provide a very subjective introduction to events in the beginning of each chapter, often commentating on the theme that is about to be explored. They derive their judgment from their years of experience of being black women in a world that disregards them, and they offer their opinion on every topic from abortion to romance. For the most part they serve as distant figures, but throughout the novel they make appearances, directly interacting with characters, especially Betty, who also serves to spread the rumor about Robert and John's fight.

The point of view then veers from the...