Point of View

Alaya Dawn Johnson tells her novel “The Summer Prince” from the first-person limited-omniscient point of view of main character and principal protagonist, June Costa. Small sections of the novel are also devoted to the first-person perspectives of other characters, including Enki and Gil. Because the story largely centers around June, the story is told from her perspective. This gives the reader unique and intimate insight into June’s thoughts and feelings, allowing them to experience things the way that she experiences them. The limited-omniscient aspect of the narrative is reflective of the fact that no one person can know everything at once, especially as events are unfolding. This adds a level of suspense and believability to the plot, as the reader only learns about, and experiences things at the rate at which June does.

Language and Meaning

Alaya Dawn Johnson tells her novel “The Summer...