Saturday, February 7, 2009

P.O.V.

Hey, can anyone think of any good novels that alternate between first and third person? So far, I've come up with "The History of Love" and "No Country for Old Men."
I've been working on back story for my novel, and a first person character has popped up in what I was thinking would be a strictly third person novel. I'm just looking for more examples of this being done seamlessly.

6 comments:

Sarah said...

I am in the EXACT same position, R. Seriously. I am trying to suppress the first-person, too, wondering if that is the right move. I keep telling myself it is only because I am writing Part One right now, but who knows? I think The Brief Life . . . by Junot Diaz does it. I read that book last year, but I can't say for sure. Plus, it's downstairs and it's cold in the house, so I can't go look. But you may check it out. I am interested in the comments for this one!

Amelia said...

Didn't Middlesex do it?

I'd say do it first in a way that feels right and worry about doing it seamlessly later, and the two might end up closer than you'd guess. Easier said, I know.

jack said...

"The Patron Saint of Liars" by Ann Patchett does this, and so does "In the Forest" by Edna O'Brien.

jack said...

Also, I meant to ask - is this switch in POV with the same character? As in "I was born a lobster." and then later: "She lived her life in a large tank."

The books I suggested switch between frst and third for different characters, though they are part of the the same major story.

I woke up thinking this. I must have been mulling it all night in my sleep.

wabby said...

It is funny, I am having trouble remembering--even with books that I have read recently. I didn't like it but I think that people of the book does that. But I can't be 100 percent sure.

There is a margaret atwood book that does this. I wrote a review of it for front porch...I can't remember what it was called.

rebecca said...

Thanks, y'all. I will check out those titles.
They are two different characters, and I think it will work, but I just want to look at more examples of it being non-gimmicky, just to reassure myself. I haven't done first person in a while, so I was surprised to see this fellow knocking on my story. Inspiration or delusion? We shall see.