Genre
Speculative fiction
Setting and Context
The novel uses various settings, but much of it takes place in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, and Crandale, a fictional, wealthy New York suburb
Narrator and Point of View
The narrator of each chapter is different, causing significant variation in perspective and style. Notably, Lulu's chapter is written in the second person. Lana and Melora's chapter is written in first person plural.
Tone and Mood
The tone of the novel is reflective and sentimental. The mood alternates between tense and nostalgic.
Protagonist and Antagonist
There is no single main character, although Chris Salazar and Bix Bouton profoundly shape the world of the novel. The main antagonist is, primarily, Bix's company, Mandala.
Major Conflict
The major conflict in the novel is Mondrian's fight against Mandala to restore a right to privacy.
Climax
The climax of the novel occurs when Bix dies and leaves a chunk of his money to Mondrian.
Foreshadowing
The launching of Own Your Unconscious by Bix is foreshadowed by an offhand comment made in the discussion group about animal psychologists uploading memories to a hard drive.
Understatement
N/A
Allusions
The novel makes frequent allusions to the game Dungeons and Dragons, often making use of its terminology in descriptions. Roxy's chapter references Carson McCuller's novel, The Member of the Wedding.
Imagery
N/A
Paradox
N/A
Parallelism
N/A
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
The palm trees outside Lana and Melora's childhood home are personified as appearing like fingers on a hand.
