Critics mostly frequently praise Bell for his ability to create vivid characters who engage the reader's sympathy and disgust at the same time. In this novel, the primary example is Macrae. Discussion groups might want to examine the elements in his personality which make him more sympathetic than Charlie.

Additional possibilities for analysis are the ways in which Macrae (and perhaps other characters as well) reenforce and contradict regional and ethnic stereotypes. Likewise, any consideration of the characters should involve the degree of accuracy with which Bell portrays women.

Several of Bell's characters are musicians, and critics have compared the structure of the novels to that of musical compositions. Each novel seems to be constructed of separate movements, and a theme introduced in one section generally is expanded upon or modified in a later section. Discussion groups might choose to analyze the novel's structure, focusing upon...