Do you enjoy books that shift narrative modes?

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Divya Tamilselvan
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Re: Do you enjoy books that shift narrative modes?

Post by Divya Tamilselvan »

Yes, I enjoy reading books that shift narration. Recently, I read a book named Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas. The book is written in a way of shifting narration.
Kayla Archer
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Post by Kayla Archer »

LadyStardust wrote: 20 Feb 2013, 00:17 Hi all, new here. :) I'll post an intro in a bit, but for the moment I just have a burning question:

Do you enjoy books in which the author uses different narrative modes? (Example: I just finished "Blind Panic" by Graham Masterton. Some chapters were first person POV, others were third person. The first person was limited to one character, so I thought it worked and wasn't too confusing overall.)

I know many people consider alternating narrative modes to be an unforgivable sin, so I was just curious. It's tough to get a straight answer out of friends/family, because they know I'm a writer and therefore feel there is a right or wrong answer - I just want an honest opinion, darn it! That's all! ;)

So, assuming it's personal preference, what's yours?
OOO, that sounds like a challenge as an author to switch POV throughout the story. Sometimes even switching the omniscient POV with different characters can be challenging. I like how Dan Brown switches back and forth in each chapter, which makes it easy to follow and interesting. I'm reading a Jack Winnick book right now, and usually I really enjoy his writings, but this one I'm really struggling to decipher if he's jumping to the future, having a flashback, or switching characters. I will mention it in my review. Again, I usually am rooting for him because his stories are so compelling, but this one was my least favorite.
Ashley Price 3
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Post by Ashley Price 3 »

I don't mind, if done well I actually enjoy shifts in narration.
FunkyFlowerLady
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Post by FunkyFlowerLady »

I like reading books with multiple povs, lets you know what other characters are really thinking. :)
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Post by Arianne Joy Melendres »

It definitely depends on the execution ! Sometimes they get a bit confusing and sometimes there's a certain thrill when you're switching between narratives to get a wider perspective of things
Lucreatia Alexander
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Post by Lucreatia Alexander »

Absolutely! The first book I read with two different narrativeswas "Flipped" by Wendelin Van Draanen. I couldn't put it down. People always say there are two different sides(or even more) to a story I find this to be one hundred percent true. Books that shift to different narratives helps you to see both perspectives, you get a well rounded view/opinion of the book and it even helps you to understand each character better.
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Jay Peter
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Post by Jay Peter »

Sometimes... Usually I find it distracting. However - I just finished a book called Skippy Dies where the narrative mode shifts frequently and somehow it works well.
Scott Fling
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Post by Scott Fling »

The first person narrative is okay for some books, but I prefer the third person narration. With one person narration you can only understand the point of view and feelings of just one character. I like to read books where it's general, and where I can read about all of the character's points of view.
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Ma Leonarda Castañares
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Post by Ma Leonarda Castañares »

It depends. But if it’s disrupting the reading flow and makes it hard to form connection with the character, then the answer is no.
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Post by Paul Link »

Most of the books that I read are in third person, I find it difficult to read a first person narrative. I can't imagine if the story shifted between the two.
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