How is Dimaline using narrative point of view in the story? Why this point of view and not a different one? Is it used oddly? Does it provide a benefit?

The novel is written in first-person, and the majority of the action is seen from the limited perspective of a teenager named French. The basic story line is that French joins a group of Native Americans and they travel constantly north in the hope of avoiding the government that is systematically killing them. French is the voice of the group, and the reader sees the action of the main story line only from French's perspective. That means the reader knows only what French knows. For example, Wab and Chi-Boy become a couple but French does not realize it. There are some clues and the reader may guess that the two are together, but French does not until he learns that Wab is pregnant.

The exception to this limited perspective is seen in each “coming-to” chapter. There are several chapters that provide the back story for various characters, including Wab and Miig. These are presented from that character's limited perspective, and the reader at that point knows only what those characters know. For example, Miig describes the life he lived with Isaac after society collapsed. They were in the wilderness, basically cut off from everyone, until three people arrived at their house. They learned that two of the people were working for Recruiters, and the called in officials to capture Isaac and Miig. As that chapter comes to an end, Miig says he should have killed himself and Isaac before they could be captured. Miig's words are based on his belief that Isaac is dead, and the reader has no reason to believe otherwise. Isaac, however, is not dead, and he and Miig are eventually reunited.