What really set this book apart from so many of the books I read was the way Spiotta handled subtle changes in point of view. I would go from chapter to chapter--the chapters are marked as dates in most cases--without recognizing that the point of view had shifted. The smooth transitions were so well handled especially considering that the narrator was at times Denise and at other times Nik. Their two voices--Denise's and Nik's--were unique, distinct, and consistent, and each narrator had a first-person point of view as well as a third-person point of view. And still, the author's technical aspects of writing the novel never hindered the pure story enjoyment at the center of the book's narrative. This is a fantastic read.