It is time for Thoughtful Thursday and the bookish questions that pop up while I am reading. Please share your thoughts on the bookish question of the week. I am curious to hear what you have to say! There are no wrong answers. Questions about Thoughtful Thursday or future Thoughtful Thursday posts? Check out my Thoughtful Thursday section. Alright, on to the question!
What is your favorite POV style? First person? Second person? Third person? (Wikipedia has a great article to help you out too.)
When I was getting ready to write this post, I was planning on stating that my favorite POV style is third-person omniscient. I really wanted to say that I love knowing what everyone is thinking. Based on the books that I have read over the years, you would assume that third-person omniscient is my favorite, because so many books that I have read over the years have used that style. In fact, according to Wikipedia, this is the most popular POV style. Right before my fingers hit the keyboard, however, I realized that if I was being truthful, it is not my favorite style (although I do like it a lot).
I like the first-person narrative. I like being in the "mind" of the protagonist and only getting his/her thoughts (and no one else's). When I only have the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist, I find it easier to side with him/her (or at the very least appreciate where he/she is coming from even if I don't agree with the action). The Sookie Stackhouse books are a great example of this situation. I don't think I would have sided with Sookie as much in her romantic (and other) decisions, if I had the opportunity to know what everyone was thinking. It was just me and Sookie against the world. I think that if I knew what some of Sookie's potential beaus or ex-boyfriends thought of her, I would have trouble casting them aside as easily as Sookie did. When I only knew what Sookie knew, it was easy to appreciate her decisions (isn't that just how our own lives are too?).
I am also a fan of the first-person POV, because it gives the writer an opportunity to play with one of my favorite literary devices: the unreliable narrator. Okay, yes I sometimes really hate the unreliable narrator; however, when it is done well, it can really "plus" a story. Ancillary Justice is a great example of an unreliable narrator. Beq, the protagonist, uses the female pronoun for everyone in her native language, so in her mind, she refers to everyone is female, whether they are or are not. This gender labyrinth adds an extra layer to an already fascinating book. There are other books with great twists that are due to having an unreliable narrator that I love, but I won't mention them so you go into them with an air of mystery.
I like the first-person narrative. I like being in the "mind" of the protagonist and only getting his/her thoughts (and no one else's). When I only have the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist, I find it easier to side with him/her (or at the very least appreciate where he/she is coming from even if I don't agree with the action). The Sookie Stackhouse books are a great example of this situation. I don't think I would have sided with Sookie as much in her romantic (and other) decisions, if I had the opportunity to know what everyone was thinking. It was just me and Sookie against the world. I think that if I knew what some of Sookie's potential beaus or ex-boyfriends thought of her, I would have trouble casting them aside as easily as Sookie did. When I only knew what Sookie knew, it was easy to appreciate her decisions (isn't that just how our own lives are too?).
I am also a fan of the first-person POV, because it gives the writer an opportunity to play with one of my favorite literary devices: the unreliable narrator. Okay, yes I sometimes really hate the unreliable narrator; however, when it is done well, it can really "plus" a story. Ancillary Justice is a great example of an unreliable narrator. Beq, the protagonist, uses the female pronoun for everyone in her native language, so in her mind, she refers to everyone is female, whether they are or are not. This gender labyrinth adds an extra layer to an already fascinating book. There are other books with great twists that are due to having an unreliable narrator that I love, but I won't mention them so you go into them with an air of mystery.
Now it is your turn! What is your favorite POV style?