Point of View

The novel’s use of point of view is central to how it builds emotional depth and character development. In the past-tense chapters, the story is told in the third person but closely aligned with Joan’s perspective. This allows the reader to experience events through Joan’s eyes, creating a strong sense of intimacy and alignment with her internal world. As Joan undergoes her journey of self-discovery, coming to terms with her sexuality, realizing her feelings for Vanessa, and slowly recognizing how much of her life has been shaped by obligation to her sister Barbara, the reader experiences these realizations alongside her. The limited third-person narration mirrors Joan’s own limited self-knowledge at the beginning of the novel. Her emotional awakening parallels the reader’s discover of her character. The third-person lens remains close enough to Joan that the reader comes to understand her...