Point of View

Anita Diamant tells her novel “The Boston Girl” in the first-person reflective omniscient narrative mode. The novel primarily comprises the firsthand account of Addie Baum’s early life – from the age of 15 through her early 30s – and takes the form of a casual interview with her granddaughter, Ava, who is recording Addie’s words on a tape recorder. The events that Addie describes occur mostly between the mid-1910s and early-1930s, with Addie relating those events decades later, in 1985. As such, Addie is able to look back at her life reflectively, and omnisciently, for everything she speaks about has already happened – and long before the interview.

Language and Meaning

Anita Diamant tells her novel “The Boston Girl” in language that is casual, relaxed, and straightforward. The novel, which comprises the firsthand account of Addie Baum’s early life (from her teens through her early...