Observer

The Observer is an inhuman entity whose purpose is to amuse itself by observing what happens to the people associated with the house of the couple murdered in the first chapter of the novel. It becomes increasingly self-aware as it matures throughout the novel. As it becomes more conscious of what it is and what it can do, the Observer contemplates its place in the universe and the meaning of life, particularly human life. These contemplations often mirror the great unanswerable questions universal to humanity, such as the meaning of life and whether or not it was created by a higher power.

Despite being a disembodied, supernatural being, the Observer interacts with two characters during the course of the novel. It is sensed first by Joe and then by Irina, only once each. Most times the Observer gives an outsider’s perspective to the events of the book...