Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Bookish weakness: multiple POVs

I've spent a lot of time considering how I can get out of my reading comfort zone. Hence the resolution for the year (which I'll probably keep going cos, hey! diversity always) and while this might be something I'm trying to be very aware of this year, I've noticed something else. A new book comfort zone: multiple POVs.
I guess it's not ENTIRELY new. But I've realized more and more that if a book has a bunch of different narrators and/or intertwining stories, I will forgive it a lot of other problems it might have. And while I've been focused on my resolution criteria, I have not been seeking out multiple POV books, yet I've still managed to read 7 books with multiple narrators/POVs this year alone.*

Sometimes I like seeing the same events from multiple characters points of view. It's a good reminder that everyone is bringing their own interpretation to a single experience.

Sometimes it's not necessarily that I'm experiencing the same event multiple times but just seeing how a number of different stories intersect with each other and how something insignificant now can have huge effects later. 

Sometimes I think I just get distracted easily and need the characters to shift to keep my interest. Or rather I know I get distracted easily. I got distracted for 5 minutes minimum while writing this sentence. 
The nice part of this reading preference is that it can fit in with any of my resolutions. Or any genre. Oh man, I like preferences that don't require me to give up other things. 

Mostly the point is "I want to write another blog post but don't feel like reviewing The Passage right now because my Kindle is upstairs and that is faaaaaaar" but my OTHER point is crowd sourcing for some recommendations. So, any multiple POV books I should check out? Bonus points if they're by non-white and/or non-US people OR published before 2000 cos gotta keep the resolution going.


*Oh, did you want a list? OF COURSE
A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin
California by Edan Lepucki
The House Girl by Tara Conklin
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
The Passage by Justin Cronin