Point of View

The author has chosen to tell the story in first person, from Elena's perspective. However, the author cleverly allows the reader into Lila's mind, because at the beginning of the story- the reader remembers that at the beginning of the first novel, Lila has disappeared, at age sixty-six- Elena recalls a box of notebooks Lila gave her when they were eighteen, saying she couldn't let Stefano read them. The notebooks tell the story of the few years described in this novel; because Elena is essentially reading Lila's words, the reader can be in a place where Elena was not. The author handles this very well, never forgetting which story belongs where or to whom.

Language and Meaning

The author's language is beautiful, lyrical; yet, it is sometimes stark. She leaves nothing to the reader's imagination. She is always very clear, even to the extent of...