Point of View

The novel is written from the first-person point of view of Walter Thirsk. Because he arrives as an outsider to the village about 12 years before the novel begins, Thirsk has a unique perspective -- he is invested in village life, but he is able to consider it from a distance. Thirsk's narration is clear-eyed and self-conscious -- he is cogent about both his and his neighbors' shortcomings, and he does not shy away from airing his embarrassing thoughts. His tone can often seem calculating -- for example, he is always considering how best to preserve himself as the village sinks deeper into chaos. However, he often expresses fierce loyalty to the village and its people, and his narration is occasionally overtaken by strong emotion.

Thirsk's narration can also venture into dreamlike territory -- passages of his pure hypothesis, fantasy, and even drug-induced hallucinations often go...