Genre
Romance
Setting and Context
Present-day Los Angeles
Narrator and Point of View
The novel is written in first person but alternates between Ben and Fallon.
Tone and Mood
Romantic, Somber, Passionate, Reflective
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist: Fallon O'Neil, Ben Kessler; Antagonist: The complexities of their relationship..
Major Conflict
Fallon's father doesn't support her dream of pursuing an acting career because of a burn scar on her body.
Climax
Fallon meets Ben Kessler, who's an aspiring writer and in the search for his muse. He finds Fallon's life story perfect as his inspiration and starts writing a novel. After reading his manuscript, Fallon discovers Ben's dark secret that ruined her childhood.
Foreshadowing
As time passes, her trust in Ben wanes. She becomes suspicious, wondering if Ben is only using her for his book or if he genuinely cares for her. It foreshadows the impending end of their relationship.
Understatement
Fallon becomes furious when she finds out the truth from the manuscript of Ben's novel. After leaving him, she realizes she's still in love with him and decides not to dwell on the past.
Allusions
The novel alludes to people who suffer from low self-esteem and trauma due to burn scars.
Imagery
Ben helps Fallon choose a dress for their fancy restaurant date, but she refuses to buy the dress because her scars are visible. Ben reassures her, saying her scars are as beautiful as she is.
Paradox
Fallon says it took her four years to fall in love with Ben but four pages to break up with him.
Parallelism
There's a parallel between Fallon and Ben's lives. Fallon suffers from burn scars, while Ben suffers from emotional scars.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
The manuscript is Ben's secret keeper.
