Points of View

The novel is written from the third person omniscient point of view. Many of the thoughts of the characters are explained at length, including detailed information about their personal backgrounds and histories. Often, the narrator withholds key pieces of information, which the reader slowly puts together over the course of the novel. Sometimes, the reader is given information from several different sources that allow the reader to figure out certain elements of the plot of which the characters involved are unaware.

The story is written from the point of view of the American side of the Cold War. For this reason, the American side is described in absolutely positive terms while the Soviet side is described in absolutely negative terms. The American political system is presented as perfect and without problems, while its Soviet counterpart is shown as completely corrupt. The point of view of the...