Point of View

In the first part of the narrative, the story is written from a first-person perspective in the voice of Helen. The second part of the narrative is written in the first-person perspective in the voice of Cassandra, princess of Troy. The use of the first-person perspective allows these mythical stories to come to new life. The people and places become real. The reader is allowed entry into Helen’s mind and understands that she is a kind, gentle, but weak individual whose beauty is often more of a burden than a gift. Cassandra is a strong, independent prophetess who is frustrated by the limits of her position as a woman in society. This first-person perspective also allows the reader to see Cassandra’s visions, which predict Helen’s role in the downfall of Troy and much of the outcome of the war itself.

Setting

The...