Point of View

The Collected Regrets of Clover is told in the first-person point-of-view through Clover Brook, the main protagonist. Since the main focus of the novel is on death, grief, and how different people handle their traumas, it is extremely important that the author choose to follow the perspective of someone who is not inherently afraid of death. Not only is this a viewpoint that many readers will be unfamiliar and possibly uncomfortable with, but Clover’s comfort with death allows her to embrace the stories of everyone she spends time with, regardless of their illnesses. Even though she finds it a natural fact of life, Clover never admonishes anyone for being afraid of death. In fact, she is keenly aware that her perspective is abnormal while recognizing that, without people like her, many would die alone. This does two things for the reader. First, it allows...