Point of View

The Muralist features a total of five character narratives. Danielle Abrams is the present-day protagonist, her narrative taking place from 2015-2016. Danielle's perspective is featured in 17 chapters, and the only point of view occurring in the first person. B.A. Shapiro's choice to feature Danielle's narrative in the first person emphasizes the story as a mystery of personal and familial significance to be solved by this character. Danielle's great-aunt Alizée is the second protagonist, with 25 chapters dedicated to her third-person narratives from 1939-1941; an additional chapter takes place in 1946 titled under Josephine's third-person perspective, based on the identity Alizée takes on during and after the war. Most of the novel occurs in the past, with Alizée's perspective taking up the majority of these chapters; this firmly roots the story in history and the context of Alizée's life.

Accentuating Alizée's storyline...