How does Randy Susan Meyers use imagery in The Murderer's Daughters?

Imagery:

"My father had robbed me of so much. My mother. My family. A life I wanted hovered in the distance of my imagination, but being in his home, staring at his eyes, my eyes, I had neither the cowardice nor the courage to leave."

"The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement. The air smelled of damp earth and forgotten dreams. Lulu stood by the window, her breath fogging the glass, watching the flickering streetlamp outside. Its feeble glow barely reached the dark corners of the room, leaving secrets hidden in the crevices. She traced her finger along the frost patterns, each delicate line a memory etched into her skin.”