Different POV'S: Legend

[Sandra]

Whenever I read a book, specially YA, I often wonder what the other main character is thinking, so I love to read stories with two different points of view, and I think that in Legend, this worked wonderfully. It was very pleasant to read how June's and Day's thoughts were different and yet similar. Did you enjoyed it? Or do you prefer to read from just one pov?

[Stormy]

My thing with two POVs is that the author has to do it well. A lot of the time, YA authors make the two characters have the same exact voice and it kind of defeats the purpose of having two different views in the first place. However I do enjoyed the 2 POVs when done correctly because we get some good insight on the other characters in the book

[Sandra]

Stormy wrote: "My thing with two POVs is that the author has to do it well. A lot of the time, YA authors make the two characters have the same exact voice and it kind of defeats the purpose of having two differe..."

Hi Stormy! Yes I agree, most authors don't succeed in writing from two POVs, but I really enjoyed reading from both June and Day's POVs. Marie Lu did it amazingly, I reckon. It made me go deeper into each characters emotions and thoughts, it helped me understand so many things. :)

[Stormy]

Hi Sandra, that's good to hear Marie Lu did it well! I'm so excited to read Legend. I've heard so many good things about it

[Sandra]

Stormy wrote: "Hi Sandra, that's good to hear Marie Lu did it well! I'm so excited to read Legend. I've heard so many good things about it"

I really hope you like it! I had high expectations and they were met. I expected more but it was amazing. The second one Prodigy is even more amazing though! :)

[Stormy]

I just got the book on Saturday. I'm going to start reading soon :)

[Karla]

I think I'm pretty critical when it comes to reading books with altering POVs, but I do agree. I think Marie Lu did a great job with it.

I haven't read Prodigy yet, but I hope it's just as good!

[Sandra]

Karla wrote: "I think I'm pretty critical when it comes to reading books with altering POVs, but I do agree. I think Marie Lu did a great job with it.

I haven't read Prodigy yet, but I hope it's just as good!"

I completely agree with you! I'm halfway through it, its been amazing so far! x

[Sandra]

Stormy wrote: "I just got the book on Saturday. I'm going to start reading soon :)"

Yay, let me know what did you think :)

[Moe]

What books you guys are talking about??
I haven't read anything since I finished the trilogy. Need suggestions for reading in summer.

[Stormy]

We are reading Legend.

[Moe]

Legend by who?!

[Sandra]

Muhammad wrote: "Legend by who?!"

Legend by Marie Lu. Feel free to join the reading and discuss the book :)

[Moe]

Ooh ok thank you.

[Angie, YA lovin mod!!]

I love more then one POV. For example Game of Thrones does this too (though it is a huge epic series and there are tons of POVs). This book does a really good job with it though I am curious to see how the other books follow this format. Lord of the Rings kind of does this too. First half of the book follows Frodo and Sam and then the other half of the book follows the rest of the Fellowship. In those books it actually drives me nuts. I wish Tolkin would've gone back and forth every other chapter.

[Stormy]

I agree, in LOTR I didn't like the way he did that because it resulted in me being bored out of my mind for 200 something pages

[Lily]

I seem to be in the minority on this opinion, but I did NOT think that Marie Lu did that outstanding of a job with the two perspectives. Several times while reading the book I found myself forgetting which character's point of view I was reading because they were written so similarly. For me, the story would have been told just as effectively (if not more so) from the perspective of third-person narration.

[Stormy]

I really don't like third person that much. Funny because I used to hate any book that was told in first person. But after Hunger Games, my whole perspective on it kind of changed. What person do you all prefer? First or third?

[Sandra]

Lily wrote: "I seem to be in the minority on this opinion, but I did NOT think that Marie Lu did that outstanding of a job with the two perspectives. Several times while reading the book I found myself forgetti..."

Yes, I see your point. June and Day have very similar thoughts, so at times it might not be important who are you reading of because they sound the same. But in mu opinion, that was one of the strongest points in the novel; and because of that similarities in their thoughts it's easier to see where they differ from each other's. I think it was very interesting.

[Sandra]

Stormy wrote: "I really don't like third person that much. Funny because I used to hate any book that was told in first person. But after Hunger Games, my whole perspective on it kind of changed. What person do y..."

I don't know, I think it depends on the story. I love reading both, first and third person :)

[Lily]

Sandra wrote: "I don't know, I think it depends on the story."

I agree 100%. And a good writer knows when each type of narration is appropriate and best suited to the story.

[Angie, YA lovin mod!!]

Lily wrote: "I seem to be in the minority on this opinion, but I did NOT think that Marie Lu did that outstanding of a job with the two perspectives. Several times while reading the book I found myself forgetti..."

I saw someone else write this in a review. They thought the two point of views were way too similar. I suppose they were both fighters, both extremely talented, and in the same situations.

[Angie, YA lovin mod!!]

Stormy wrote: "I really don't like third person that much. Funny because I used to hate any book that was told in first person. But after Hunger Games, my whole perspective on it kind of changed. What person do y..."

I myself prefer third person. It has to be done really well for me to love first person.

[*Layali*]

I liked the two different points of view. I thought Lu did a great job with it. I also thought that the different font types/color really helped with distinguishing between the characters.

[Stormy]

I'm currently reading this and so far I'm loving the different POVs! So far June is my favorite.

[Grace]

It seems to me that the having two persons narrating the story in the first person has become something of a fad in YA.

The two points of view can be refreshing when it's done well but it seems that all such books I've read recently don't really take advantage of the technique. Too often I find myself forgetting who is actually telling the story.

Personally, I'd be very happy if YA authors would just drop the whole the whole multiple POV trick until they find a really compelling reason to use it.