How does Diem’s first-person perspective create more dramatic portrayals of the primary conflicts that dominate the novel? How would the novel elapse differently if it were told from Luther’s point of view?

Compare and contrast Diem’s view of herself at the novel’s beginning with her position in the Descended world at the novel’s conclusion. What key experiences and relationships contribute to her evolution?

Compare and contrast Luther Corbois with Henri Albanon. What part does each man play in Diem’s Quest for Self-Discovery?