Stevenson presents himself with unusual restraint for a memoirist. He is the hero of the book in the sense that he does extraordinary things — but he consistently deflects attention toward his clients. His most revealing moments are the ones where he is not in control: weeping on the highway after meeting Henry, unable to leave the parking lot after Richardson's execution. His faith — never imposed on the reader but always present — shapes his understanding of mercy as active, costly, and necessary.