Genre
A detective story
Setting and Context
The events of the story take place in Australia. Felix Moore, a prominent investigative journalist, investigates the story of a young hacker, Gabi Baillieux, also known as Angel, who has managed to hack the security systems of both the Australian and American prisons.
Narrator and Point of View
The story is written from the first point of view. Felix Moore is the narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is contemplative and often tired. The mood is enigmatic.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Felix Moore is the protagonist. The capitalist system is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
Threat of computer technologies being used in political wars.
Climax
Angel’s disappearance is the climax of the novel.
Foreshadowing
“Wherever it went, it travelled underground, in darkness, like a bushfire burning in the roots of trees. Reaching its destinations it announced itself: THE CORPORATION IS UNDER OUR CONTROL. THE ANGEL DECLARES YOU FREE.”
This short passage shows the magnitude of the damage caused by the Angel virus.
Understatement
“Why do Americans think everything’s to do with them?”
Celine can’t think of Gaby as a criminal. The fact that Gaby is responsible for opening “hundreds of” American jails is not enough for her to justify her daughter’s extradition to the USA.
Allusions
The novel alludes to the 1975 Australian Constitutional Crisis, World War II, and Rupert Murdoch.
Imagery
The novel contains images of characters, every day routines and of the world of technologies.
Paradox
‘He was both a rich man and a courageous soldier of the left”.
Parallelism
N/A
Metonymy and Synecdoche
“Go begging for a bed…” (A bed is metonymy that means a place to stay.)
Personification
“Humble door…”
