Jann
Jann asked Celeste Ng:

Hi Celeste! I just finished your book and loved it!! Beautiful writing. Very poignant. I was struck by your use of verb tense in the book. Very masterfully handled - could have been a train wreck in a less talented writer's hands. It was also very effective. What made you choose the different verb tenses in the book as a writing device?

Celeste Ng Hi Jann,

(Better a belated answer than never?) Thanks so much for your kind words. I ended up using the verb tenses as a way to keep the two timelines clear--the sections of the book that take place in the past are in past tense, while the section in the narrative present are in the present tense. Simple, but it cues the reader to where they are in time!

All best wishes, and thanks for the question,
Celeste

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