Blood Music is constructed in sections, with frequent, skillful shifts of point of view, especially in the later part. After Vergil's departure, sections are devoted to people confronted by great changes. Young Suzy is baffled by her family's transformation, then wanders through a seemingly empty, eerie city. John and Jerry cope with the tragic loss of family. In addition, Bear employs the ingenious device of having Michael and the cells converse, with the cells' "talk" expressed partly in capital letters and boldface. The stock device of the genius/mad scientist character, often seen in science fiction, fits the imaginative plot. Suspense is sustained by balancing biological details, described in scientific language, with characterization and action rendered in more commonplace terms.