Point of View

The novel is written from the third person point of view. Although the narrative traces decades of time and follows a diverse cast of characters, this third person narrative voice remains consistent throughout. The third person narrator's measured and predictable narrative tone adds as a navigational tool for the reader. Indeed, in each chapter, the narrator is following a new character's distinct vantage point and set of circumstances. The common narrative voice orients the reader in each new chapter and setting. For example, at the start of each chapter, the narrator is careful to present both the year in which the chapter is set and the character who she will be following. Chapter 1 begins in the following manner: "This happened back in March of 2010, when the Philadelphia train station still had the kind of information board that clickety-clacked as the various gate assignments rolled up...