Point of View

Ellen Hopkins tells Tricks in the first-person narrative, from five different points of view. Each of the five points of view is told from the perspective of one of the protagonists (Eden, Seth, Whitney, Ginger, and Cody). This is done in order to see the events of the novel as the characters themselves see them and experience them. This allows an incredible amount of emotional probing into the consciousness of each of the characters, and allows the reader to develop an emotional connection with the characters despite the nearly-consistent poor choices the characters make.

Setting

The main setting of Ellen Hopkins' novel Tricks is, fittingly, Las Vegas, also known as Sin City. It is in Vegas where each of the characters delve one way or another into the arena of prostitution, and meet the fate of such activity. Cody and Whitney end up in Vegas hospitals...