Person perspective

The book is written from the omniscient perspective of author Dashka Slater, based on information she obtained while researching the the lives of Richard, Sasha, the fire, and its aftermath. While Slater has an overall view of all the people and events, she cannot know for certain what anyone was thinking at any given time. This is especially important when considering Richard's state of mind at the moment he set Sasha's skirt on fire. Richard was charged for the action, and the charges were more serious because of the hate-crime enhancement attached by prosecutors. From Richard's initial statements and based solely on his actions, the reader may assume that Richard was homophobic and that he attacked Sasha only because Sasha looked like a boy but was wearing a skirt. Slater seems to have that opinion during the first look into Richard's statement to police, but she delves deeper into the issue by citing failures in the juvenile justice system and later statements by Richard, his friends, and his mother. Slater never states an opinion, but much of the information seems aimed at showing the mitigating factors, including Richard's age. Slater's information seems unbiased, and she seems to fa represent both sides of the story fairly. However, the reader cannot know whether Slater's understanding of any aspect of the people and events are skewed, or if Slater's personal opinions and attitudes prompted her choices in how the book was written.