Point of View

The novel is told through a third person omniscient point of view. This means that the narrator knows and is able to relay to the reader the thoughts, actions, and feelings of all the characters. This is important in terms of the story's narrative, as the book has to focus on both DIonne and Phaedra as they adjust to life in Bird Hill, as well as a cast of several other supporting characters whose points of view shape our understanding of how the two girls fit into the island community. Furthermore, this type of narrator provides us with information that allows us to understand the different sides of the various issues presented throughout the novel, rather than just see how certain events impact one particular character and their development. For example, when Dionne goes missing towards the end of the book, we see how this...