 These two different narrative modes used throughout the book allow the reader to observe the characters and situations from slightly different perspectives.The novel is essentially an examination of the sexual mores and behaviors of the members of a small 19th century French village some time shortly following the Franco-Prussian War.The plot concerns a feud that has taken place for generations between the Hadouin and Maloret families, and a missing letter that contains revealing secrets relating to the conflict.