Aussie Readers discussion

What's everyone's opinion on your reading - do you prefer to read a book in 3rd person or 1st person?

I started one this morning and it's in 1st person, and it's very strange! I'm not far in, but I'm not sure if I like it!

I really don't like it. And even worse when it is in the present tense (e.g. The Knife of Never Letting Go). Also if you are reading a mystery or crime novel and they are writing in the first person you already know they are going to be okay otherwise they would not be around to write!!!Spoils half the fun:)

Unless it's in present tense. There's a couple of books I've read which have ended mid-sentence, presumably with the character's death.

I think it really depends on the book - Tomorrow, When the War Began is in 1st person, and it is one of my favourite series of all time.

I absolutely love first person, present tense when it's done well. I think Michael Robotham does it brilliantly. And I'm fascinated by what you mention Liam, about a book ending mid-sentence. Wow!
My two cents would be that if the book is good, it's good. The whole first/third/past/present doesn't really worry me. Although with that said, when I read first person, past tense, I start editing out the passive stuff in my head.
So in other words - I find myself once again sitting on the fence in my comment! ;)

Good question.....I do like first person with books BUT it can really depend on the story teller as I remember reading one book and found it terribly hard to get into because his 1st person was done differently from others that I'd read in the past.

And the guy I am talking about is -Frank McCourt

I think it must be the book, as I know I've read first person before and enjoyed it...but this one is very different!!

So...I've put it aside and started another;)

I am happy with both ways, there a re advantages and disadvantages to both. In the end it's not the 'person' but how the book is written.

I have seen it written in both ways, especially in mysteries - a 3rd person telling the story but every so often there is the unknown murderer telling his/her story as well. Seen this most recently in Deserving Death by Katherine Howell - which is probably why it is still in my memory banks :)

Yes that one was well done wasn't it!

It all depends on the voice and how engaging it is.

Pov or first, second, or third person narratives are just tools writers use to tell a story, but it is voice that jumps out at readers regardless of narrative choices made in telling a story.

Generally, we don't come across too many second person narrative stories. The best one I've read in second (talking directly to a reader - at the beginning of the book) was The CrimsonThe Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber (oh and of course, Dickens :) )

Third person pov is more challenging to get really close to the narrator because we are hearing things generally past tense and first can sometimes come across as overboard and unreliable because the narrator is all about I seen, felt or know this.

The best books regardless of the pov chosen, have a brilliant voice, either in first, second, or third person.

The best third person pov written books work well because readers forget they are reading from a distance. Authors that write in third person well, make the reader feel they are there as if it is being narrated in first person.

Authors that write in first person well, avoid I I I I I. The best book I've read in first was Lolita by by Vladimir Nabokov

It's the writer's unique voice that makes either choice in presenting a story engaging or not.

Having said all that, I still favour 3rd person to read and I couldn't point out a favourite because there are just too many.

Second person always just makes me think of the old Choose Your Own Adventure Goosebumps books.

Haha! They were very popular:)

mmmm, I just did a quick search of those Goosebumps books...never heard of them before...and the one I just found was released in 2004? Were they around ealier, like 20 years, cause then I have an excuse for not having read them :D

My son loved them when he was young and he's almost 34 Sharon;)

Yeah my girls too. Goosebumps were big in the 80s and my youngest daughter is now introducing her 7 year old son to them - she kept all hers :)

Okay, I have an excuse for not reading them...I was going through late pupurty at the time they were released LOL

Generally I prefer third person, but one book I can think of where first person worked really well was The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold where the murdered girl tells the story of her murder, while watching her family and friends discover what happened.

Either I read a lot of 3rd person, or these were the exceptions, but I have recently read a couple of books in 1st person which I've really enjoyed. It can be a really effective way of getting you right into the story, especially when the book is focussed on the person's journey/development.
When a long book that's focused on one main character writes in 3rd person, and doesn't take advantage of writing from other's perspectives, it can get a bit of a drag.

Carolyn wrote: "Generally I prefer third person, but one book I can think of it where first person worked really well was The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold where the murdered girl tells..."

Yes I really enjoyed that one too Carolyn:)

Sharon wrote: "It all depends on the voice and how engaging it is.

Pov or first, second, or third person narratives are just tools writers use to tell a story, but it is voice that jumps out at readers regardles..."

Authors that write in first person well, avoid I I I I I. The best book I've read in first was Lolita by by Vladimir Nabokov

I agree with you, Sharon. A book in the first person can really put me off when every sentence starts with 'I'. After a while, my eyes start betraying me and all I see on the page is I, I, I, I, I, I, I, lol. It drives me nuts.

I do agree that you get to know the narrator better but I much prefer third person and when the author uses various characters pov.

Cullyn - I find that type of head hopping quite confusing....I don't mind it IF it's easy to see the switch but sometimes when an author doesn't and THEN I realised there was a change I have to reread what I've read because I have different voices for each character in my head.

I am currently reading The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit. The story is being told in 1st person plural ! Yep all the wives are speaking as one. It is the strangest experience I have ever had when reading and it actually works, once I got use to it.

I love first person because it's so hard to do well: you really need to get into the narrator's head and have a distinct character narrating. That said, I agree that it depends on the quality of the writing; I've seen both done beautifully, and I have no preference for either.

Either one is fine with me. BTW, an editor recently showed me that the easiest way to show the reader that you have head hopped in the chapter is to leave a blank space where you change POV.

Sally906 wrote: "I am currently reading The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit. The story is being told in 1st person plural ! Yep all the wives are speaking as one. It is th..."

It is a really strange experience, it kept me at arms length the whole time

Stan wrote: "Either one is fine with me. BTW, an editor recently showed me that the easiest way to show the reader that you have head hopped in the chapter is to leave a blank space where you change POV."

This sounds really interesting, Stan. Thanks for sharing :)

Tanvi wrote: "I love first person because it's so hard to do well: you really need to get into the narrator's head and have a distinct character narrating. That said, I agree that it depends on the quality of th..."

Totally agree, Tanvi. Writing first person is a real art, but I don't mind either way as long as the quality is there.

A lot of YA fiction seems to be written in 1st person. When I write I like to use 3rd person as it allows you to easily switch perspectives. I read a novel the other day which was written in first person, but switched between two characters. Talk about confusing!!!

First person, but most of the time I don't notice. I love the fact that when it's in first person, characters can have their own chapters.

A third person mostly. Then I can imagine hanging out with them without them noticing me like Im hovering/floating over them like I'm watching a movie :) Weird huh now come to think of it. Lol..

I don't mind, 1st or 3rd person POV, as long as the storytelling is good. I can't bear reading anything in 2nd. Present tense generally puts me off if the whole book is in the present. However, past broken up with snippets of present can increase tension; make things seem more immediate. That said, I've just read a whole book in present tense, and adored it.

I usually prefer third person, thought 1st person is just as good when its done well. It usually depends on how talented the author is.