Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

A book that is a story within a story ... this one I think will be challenging. I often don't know that the book is set up in this fashion until I'm actually reading the book.

Suggestions please!

I saw The Time Traveler's Wife on a list for this. Has anyone else read it? Is it a story within a story?

Booklover wrote: "I saw The Time Traveler's Wife on a list for this. Has anyone else read it? Is it a story within a story?"

I read it years ago. Can't recall enough to say if it fits...

I think a lot of the books set in two time periods also work for this. Kate Morton and Susanna Kearsley write books with a modern day person who is discovering a story from the past.

My favorites:

The Secret Keeper - Kate Morton
The Winter Sea - Susanna Kearsley
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Booklover wrote: "I saw The Time Traveler's Wife on a list for this. Has anyone else read it? Is it a story within a story?"

This is one of my favorite novels. I've seen it suggested as well and I honestly can't say that I agree (at least at first) - it is made up of small chapters spanning the first 40 years or so of Clare and Henry's lives. It jumps around between characters and times. The more I think about it, I suppose it could work..but I think it's kind of a stretch.

Anyone else read this and have any thoughts? It's late and I have a headache so I can't really form my thoughts very well ;)

Either way I definitely recommend it! It could also fit under "A book about travel" (time travel that is)

Lindi wrote: "Booklover wrote: "I saw The Time Traveler's Wife on a list for this. Has anyone else read it? Is it a story within a story?"

This is one of my favorite novels. I've seen it suggest..."

Thank you Lindi. I've had this book on my shelf for years and I just keep pushing it aside, not for lack of interest, just too many options. I might go for the stretch if it applies in the smallest way. I really want to read it and I'm ready to make room to do so. I could definitely fit it into the travel prompt. I'll have to consider some shuffling. Maybe I could read The Princess Bride for this prompt.

The Princess Bride - a book within a book
The Great Gatsby - Nick is retelling the story to another person.
The Neverending Story - another book within a book
The Count of Monte Cristo - many stories happening in the story

Booklover wrote: "I saw The Time Traveler's Wife on a list for this. Has anyone else read it? Is it a story within a story?"

I recently read it, and I don't really see how it'd fit in the theme. The timeline is wobbly, of course, it's about time travel. But there's no narrative happening within the narrative. But I guess if Popsugar can get away with suggesting Never Let Me Go as a futuristic love story, then I guess you could get a pass using this book for this category

I think The Time Traveler's Wife is just one story, told in a tangled order rather than purely chronological.

I recently finished The Thirteenth Tale and it would qualify for this. I'm struggling through Kate Morton's The Lake House right now and it would work also.

Susanna Kearsley and Lauren Willig both write books that are stories within stories, so I'm going to choose one of them. They are rather "romance-heavy" so I think you'd have to like romance and historical fiction to like these.

Oooh, Princess Bride is a great idea.

I agree with all that The Time Traveler's Wife doesn't fit for this one.

A lot of classics back in the day used frame stories. Two that immediately come to mind are Wuthering Heights and Heart of Darkness.

Nadine wrote: "I think The Time Traveler's Wife is just one story, told in a tangled order rather than purely chronological.

I recently finished The Thirteenth Tale and it would qualify for this. I'..."

Thanks! I've been wanting to get to The Thirteenth Tale.

The Thirteenth Tale mentions Jane Eyre a lot, so if you haven't read it and don't want spoilers read that one first; that gives you your book mentioned in another book too :)

One that I remember that does this is Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde really is a story that has characters enter into the novel Jane Eyre!

How about Interview with the Vampire?

Fangirl would probably work for this one. Its a story and then features the fanfiction that the character writes.

I'm looking at Afterworlds

Read - Between the Lines

I've been wanting to read Fangirl for a while so I think I'll slot it in for this prompt. I agree with earlier suggestions that "The Thirteenth Tale" is a fantastic book and would definitely fulfill this prompt.

Since I've seen Wuthering Heights suggested on here a couple times I think I'm going to use it. I love this challenge for "forcing" me to read books I've been meaning to read for ages.

The Princess Bride
The Neverending Story
Inkheart

The History of Love

I was really stuck on this one, so I did some googling and found a list of recommendations on this site: http://www.booklistreader.com/2015/06...
I think I'll read Life of Pi by Yann Martel. I've never read it, but I read Martel's most recent book, The High Mountains of Portugal and thought it was great.

I think Frankenstein could work in this category.

If on a Winter's Night a Traveler would definitely work for this prompt. It has about six stories within the main story.

I'm confused about The Princess Bride. All the synopses I see say that Goldman is reconstructing a story by S. Morgenstern. Is the Morgenstern version an actual book, or is it just part of the story within the story?

The Morgenstern story is not real, it's just part of the PB story, but the PB story treats it as real, which I hear is part of the fun.

Nadine wrote: "The Morgenstern story is not real, it's just part of the PB story, but the PB story treats it as real, which I hear is part of the fun."

Ok, cool. That sounds like fun. I might try it for this prompt.

Nadine wrote: "The Morgenstern story is not real, it's just part of the PB story, but the PB story treats it as real, which I hear is part of the fun."

That was definitely my favorite part of the book. If you get the anniversary edition Rachel, the author has a whole foreward referencing the "book". I loved it.

I just finished reading a book that I think would fit this print. Where'd you go, Bernadette.

Would S. count for this? Or House of Leaves?

Outlander would fit this category - it's a long read but fun!

How about People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks? The Kindle version is on sale today for $1.99. Looks like a story within a story to me. But What do you think?

Looks like it's definitely a story set in different time periods! Hard to tell if it's a story within a story.

The Canterbury Sisters comes to mind for this one although some might consider it a loose interpretation of the prompt. A group of women on a pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral tell stories as they walk - inspired by Chaucer's classic.

Fangirl is wonderful, but the fanfiction excerpts are just chapter headings, they don't make another whole story... to the point where Rainbow Rowell has released the fanfiction story as a separate book. So it might be a bit of a stretch?

House of Leaves and Frankenstein definitely count, they both have framing devices. Birdsong would work too. And a lot of Lovecraft stories, if anyone wanted something short.

I've never read The Princess Bride and I love the film, so I'm going for that :)

I've heard good things about The Blind Assassin, and it seems to fit perfectly: "But just as the reader expects to settle into Laura's story, Atwood introduces a novel-within-a- novel."

Hadn't seen it mentioned here but it'll be my choice for this category, figured I'd add to the list :)

Lindi wrote: "Since I've seen Wuthering Heights suggested on here a couple times I think I'm going to use it. I love this challenge for "forcing" me to read books I've been meaning to read for ages."

I agree. I am going to try and only read books that I already have for this challenge.

I will probably read WH for this one too. It was a chore in high school. I'm hoping I'll get more out of it this time.

"Fried Green Tomatoes at the whistle Stop Cafe" immediately came to mind.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel is definitely a fit for this prompt and is a beautiful book as well !

Missy wrote: ""Fried Green Tomatoes at the whistle Stop Cafe" immediately came to mind."

Oh yeah, I hadn't thought about that but I really want to re-read some of the old Fanny Flagg I haven't read in years so maybe I'll use it. Thanks for the suggestion!

Danielle wrote: "I've heard good things about The Blind Assassin, and it seems to fit perfectly: "But just as the reader expects to settle into Laura's story, Atwood introduces a novel-within-a- novel...."

Yes, The Blind Assassin works perfectly for this prompt. I really enjoyed it, but be warned, it is a little slow-moving.

Ed wrote: "The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde really is a story that has characters enter into the novel Jane Eyre!"
One of my favorite books, love the Thursday Next books. Thanks for the idea, perhaps I'll read the next one in the series for this prompt.

Booklover wrote: "How about Interview with the Vampire?"

I think it does. Because Louis is telling the story of his life to the interviewer but there is kind of a separate modern story going on.. right?

House of Leaves would definitely qualify, I think that's what I'm going to do.

Would Thunderstruck by Erik Larson work for this? It's one of the books we're using during a series of library programs early in 2017. I was working on my reading list and wondering if/where I could plug those books in.

Wow, I come home from work to see two people asking about Erik Larson books! YAY! I love me some Erik Larson! I'm still trying to find a way to fit two of his books in this year and so far I can only figure out how to do one.

Alas, this one is not a story within a story. It is two parallel stories that come together.

Looks like you could count that as a librarian recommendation. Pick one up used, or on a trip, listen on audio. Perhaps you don't usually read narrative non-fiction.

poshpenny wrote: "Wow, I come home from work to see two people asking about Erik Larson books! YAY! I love me some Erik Larson! I'm still trying to find a way to fit two of his books in this year and so far I can on..."

Thanks, poshpenny! I think I'll count it as a bestseller from a genre I don't normally read. I am a librarian and colleagues are always recommending stuff so I know I won't have a problem with that particular category.

Arabian Nights is a great classic with stories within a story. Just a suggestion

I recommend A.S.Byatt's 'Possession' which is a contemporary story of two scholars researching a poet from the late 19th Century. story shifts back and forth between the 2 periods and is just wonderful. It is a slow read, and you will start skipping over the poetry allegedly written by one of the characters, but what a great wallow in glorious rich language! Gwyneth Paltrow stars in the decent movie version made.

Stina wrote: "Yes, The Blind Assassin works perfectly for this prompt. I really enjoyed it, but be warned, it is a little slow-moving..."

Thanks for the warning, Stina! I try and balance my slower/longer books with the lighter/faster reads on my list so this is really good to know.