Point of View

This novel is told by a third-person narrator who tells the story directly to the reader. Consider the opening sentence: “On Thursday, December 16, 1999, Gwendy Peterson wakes up before the sun, dresses in layers for the cold, and heads out for a run” (1). The narrator reports Gwendy’s actions as well as her thoughts and words, but he is not part of the action. Later in this same chapter, the narrator states: “For now, let’s tag along as she makes her way crosstown” (1). The narrator invites the reader to join him as they observe what happens to Gwendy during her day. The narrator writes in the present tense indicating that he is experiencing Gwendy’s actions as they happen and telling the reader about them immediately.

This narrator is not omniscient. He only knows what he observes Gwendy do. For instance, when Gwendy tells her...