This book is written in first person, present tense. Did that choice by the author make the story more intimate? If so, in what ways?
Created: 10/09/17
Replies: 20
Join Date: 10/15/10
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Join Date: 02/18/15
Posts: 497
Yes, it did make the story more intimate. I felt each of the characters were personally telling me their story. What happened to them, and how it made them feel. I felt I was getting to know the characters and their personalities and deciding whether this was someone I would like to know.
Join Date: 08/19/11
Posts: 214
By telling this story in first person, the story is more intimate as we are actually in the heads of each character. Although one person could guess what others think or reasons why someone acted a certain way or even guess how actions effect another, the guesses could be wrong. Again, we can go back to interpretations; they are based on facts, but cannot be taken as gospel.
Join Date: 02/29/16
Posts: 189
I loved hearing the various voices. It felt like I was sitting in each person's kitchen listening to their secrets or reading their diaries. The effect was intimate and essential to creating the tension and atmosphere of the novel. Weiss did an amazing job capturing each character's voice and dialect. I loved the way she changed each character's grammar.
Join Date: 12/01/16
Posts: 292
Yes, I loved the way the story was presented! Without the background information of the characters it would leave the reader to make assumptions that may not be true to them. I can't tell you how many books I've read where I wished the author would have given more background information on each character.
Join Date: 03/03/12
Posts: 251
Join Date: 10/15/14
Posts: 363
First person narration is key to the success of this novel, and the author was wise to choose it. In doing so, she succeeded not only in creating live, round individuals for her reader, but as each of her characters comes alive in his or her own chapter, readers are seduced further as connections between characters is better understood. This narrative technique places the reader right in the middle of the action rather than hearing it second hand or standing off to the side observing. It is as if we are tramping right along side Birdie through the woods, or sitting at the table with Marris and Gladys, sitting inside Prudence's head as she judges. This is a powerful tool in the novel's success!
Join Date: 06/16/11
Posts: 410
I totally agree that this style is what made it all so real. The characters are a varied mix and hearing their own voice gave me a better understanding of who they were and how they conducted their lives. It also seems to me that first person is the only way to really understand a character and make them real. I also thank the author for doing it because it takes a real talent to carry a story, keep the pace and make it all flow smoothly when using so many voices.
Join Date: 03/02/17
Posts: 16
Join Date: 05/14/11
Posts: 119
The idea of writing in the first person for each character is not new but is very effective. It is as described above more intimate and revealing. However, I have to admit that stumbling over the written words of these people who barely speak English was tedious and slowed down the flow of the book. This book might be much better as an audio book wherein the voices would, like live rather than written Shakespeare, been much easier to comprehend. I had to force myself to continue reading the book and was grateful to the preacher and the teacher when their turns came.
Join Date: 11/05/17
Posts: 4
I loved the way the story was written. I couldn't put it down for long and it has stayed with me since I read it. I did love her dialogue as well, as I think it was done well. Changing from one character's opinion and story to the next one was done flawlessly. My favorite kind of read.
Join Date: 06/29/15
Posts: 143
I also think the book written in the first person, present tense did make the story more intimate. I felt I was having a conversation with each character except Roy and Billy. They were too evil. The author did do a great job keeping the flow of the story despite many voices. I have read other books where the author wrote in first person and each chapter was a different voice but I don't think they pulled it off as well.
Join Date: 03/22/12
Posts: 353
I agree with most of the others. Writing a book in the first person is a good method of drawing one in. It makes the characters more real. I think the way that this is usually conveyed in movies is where the persons thoughts are read aloud.
Join Date: 10/27/15
Posts: 146
First person, present tense is my favorite for novels so I very much enjoyed it. The characters have more depth when you're reading their first hand accounts. I don't think I would've enjoyed this book if the format was different or if the story was only told from the POV of one character.
Join Date: 04/21/11
Posts: 281
I agree with much of what previously has been said. I also believe that because each prominent character had an individual story as a chapter gave us deeper insight into their personality and of their position with the other individuals.
Join Date: 07/28/11
Posts: 96
Join Date: 10/31/17
Posts: 17
I agree that this choice made the story very intimate. I often don't like shifting perspectives in novels because I feel they can disrupt the flow of the narrative, but Weiss managed to do this almost flawlessly by capturing each character's unique voice while still moving Sadie Blue's story forward. It was a risky choice to "inhabit" the voices of even the more unsavory characters but it helped to explain motives and made the story richer. I felt like I understood each character better by the end of the story.
Join Date: 04/16/13
Posts: 16
First person, present tense worked wonderfully here, mostly because the author used multiple POVs. That way, not only is the reader aware of what the chapter character knows and feels, but it also adds layers of understanding onto a situation like the frying of Walter...also, there is that immediate sense of connection with the harsher bits, and the heartbreaking bits, and all so well done. LOVED it.
Join Date: 01/23/15
Posts: 225
Join Date: 11/20/17
Posts: 18
I found that this author was able to create unique, compelling voices for 10 distinct characters, but she entwined the stories so beautifully and with such vivid imagery that I was captivated by each person's point of view.
Join Date: 03/29/16
Posts: 381
I felt that by using first person, and by giving the characters their own chapters, we were able to learn a bit more about each of them. We were able to see life from their individual perspective - whether we agreed with it or not - it helped to bring each character to life.
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