Genre
Magical Realism
Setting and Context
The novel takes place during a significant snowstorm in Brooklyn, New York
Narrator and Point of View
The novel is told from a third-person perspective.
Tone and Mood
The novel is solemn, violent, chaotic, and traumatic.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Richard, Lucia, and Evelyn are the novel's protagonists. Their past traumas is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
During a winter snowstorm in Brooklyn, the novel's three main characters wrestle with their past traumas and difficult relationships.
Climax
When Richard and Lucia discover they work well together as a romantic couple, and Evelyn finally contends with her traumatic history and her status as an undocumented immigrant.
Foreshadowing
Lucia and Richard falling in love is foreshadowed by their first meeting, when they expressed similarities in terms of their past and other interests.
Understatement
Richard's ingenuity and his ability to connect with people is understated throughout the novel. He is often portrayed as a lonely introvert, but his ability to help and connect with people is not given the credit it deserves.
Allusions
There are countless allusions to current and historical events, particularly Donald Trump, as well as popular culture and religion.
Imagery
The imagery of the snow bearing down on Brooklyn, wreaking havoc on everyone involved, evokes a sense of dread and underscores the relentless issues the novel's main characters are dealing with.
Paradox
Richard met and lost his ex-wife in Brazil; despite this, his issues started in the United States.
Parallelism
Not applicable.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The White House is a metonym for the entire U.S. Federal Government.
Personification
The snow itself is personified throughout the novel and is given human-like characteristics.
