Point of View

The novel is written in first person from Agnieszka's perspective. The limited perspective means the reader knows only what Agnieszka knows and only when she knows it. For example, she does not know she is a witch until Sarkan reveals it to her. She knows that she is able to glean when others cannot find anything, but she does not recognize this as a manifestation of her power.

The limited perspective is vital to the tension in the opening scene of the novel. Agnieszka and Kasia are attending a choosing ceremony and know the Dragon will choose a girl to live in his tower for the next 10 years. They fully expect him to choose Kasia, but neither knows what happens to the girl he chooses. They have suspicions. There are other girls who have spent 10 years in the tower and then return briefly to the...