Third-person Limited Point of View

The novel is told from a limited third person point of view, with the reader following events in the story as Aly sees and interprets them. The author's choosing this point of view allows the story to unfold before the reader just as it does for the main character, and provides opportunities for the author to expand on certain aspects that would not be available to the reader in a first-person narrative. The point of view of the story enables the reader to become deeply engaged in the young girl's understanding of race relations, gender roles, and intimate relationships.

Aly seems somewhat removed from the events around her. This makes her appear both emotionally strong and emotionally distant. When she finds herself in a slave holding pen, for example, she seems to barely recognize the dire nature of her situation. Instead, she views it...