: Seven additional characters represent the planets (the "Luminaries"), including the sun and moon.
: Twelve local men represent the 12 signs of the zodiac. Their actions and interactions are influenced by their "sign's" traits. The Luminaries: A Novel
: Catton employs a "Dickensian" style with sprawling backstories and omniscient narration, typical of 19th-century literature. : Seven additional characters represent the planets (the
: Beyond the Man Booker Prize , it won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction. The Luminaries: A Novel (Man Booker Prize) - Amazon.com : Catton employs a "Dickensian" style with sprawling
: The book is divided into 12 parts. Each part is exactly half the length of the one preceding it, mimicking a waning moon. Part One is 360 pages long, while the final part is just a few paragraphs. Literary Style and Themes
The novel's most unique informative feature is its structural adherence to Western astrology: