Point of View

The book is written entirely in third person, although a significant portion of the text refers to internal thoughts and observations of the characters. The book primarily moves between the activities of Hiro and Y.T., with some chapters focusing on other minor characters. The author provides intricate details of the character's observations and interactions.

Setting

Snow Crash is set in the relative present (early twenty-first century), although it is an alternate present, with more highly evolved technology and industrial privatization. This approximate time frame is confirmed by the facts that Hiro and Raven's fathers served in World War II and that Uncle Enzo served in the Vietnam War. Near the end of the book, Hiro notes that both he and Raven were born in the 1970s.

The primary setting of the book is split between industrialized Southern California and the virtual world of the Metaverse...