A book that is a story within a story

[Pua]

I'm thinking about The Eyre Affair, but I'm not sure if it's a story within a story? I saw a few people mention it in the comments above.

[Sarah (is clearing her shelves)]

Pua wrote: "I'm thinking about The Eyre Affair, but I'm not sure if it's a story within a story? I saw a few people mention it in the comments above."

I've read it. Considering how many fictional characters Fforde has included and how many snippets from other books, not just Jane Eyre, there are I would say this applies doubly or trebly so.

[Nadine in NY]

Pua wrote: "I'm thinking about The Eyre Affair, but I'm not sure if it's a story within a story? I saw a few people mention it in the comments above."

I didn't really think it was. There was ONE story (finding the bad guy), and it just so happened that characters from a few classic novels (including, yes, Jane Eyre) became involved.

[Sarah (is clearing her shelves)]

Nadine wrote: "I didn't really think it was. There was ONE story (finding the bad guy), and it just so happened that characters from a few classic novels (including, yes, Jane Eyre) became involved."

I guess it depends on how broadly you choose to interpret the prompt. There is quite a bit of Jane Eyre told within The Eyre Affair (view spoiler)[the main character even enters the book (hide spoiler)], so imo that counts, but as I said it's personal choice.

[Simant]

I'll recommend Life of Pi

[Erin]

The Storyteller would fit this category... as well as two time periods, and set during wartime.

[Aimee]

I read The Husband's Secret which fits this prompt very well and is an excellent read! I read over the weekend (mostly Saturday). I could barely pull myself away! It fits several other prompts as well (author is from Australia, set during Easter, family member name in the title).

[Marissa]

Would Cloud Atlas work for this prompt?

[Pua]

Sarah wrote: "Nadine wrote: "I didn't really think it was. There was ONE story (finding the bad guy), and it just so happened that characters from a few classic novels (including, yes, Jane Eyre) became involved..."

Sarah wrote: "Pua wrote: "I'm thinking about The Eyre Affair, but I'm not sure if it's a story within a story? I saw a few people mention it in the comments above."

I've read it. Considering how ma..."

Hmmm... this is definitively one of the tougher prompts for me! I'm looking forward to seeing what other people choose. I think it's a conversation starter considering the different opinions of The Eyre Affair!

[Marianne]

The Wrath & the Dawn has stories within the story.

[Sharanya]

Misery by Stephen King

[Stephanie]

Stina wrote: "Would S. count for this? Or House of Leaves?"

I loved House of Leaves and think it definitely fits this prompt. I hope S. does because I'd like to read it this year.

[Jd]

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...."

Thanks. This book has been on my TBR pile for awhile, I'll probably use it for this challenge.

[Paige]

Would The Arabian Nights count? I've been doing research and I can't tell if it's a bunch of stories within a story or a collection of tales.

[Christophe]

Paige wrote: "Would The Arabian Nights count? I've been doing research and I can't tell if it's a bunch of stories within a story or a collection of tales."

It's both, just like Boccacio's Decamero and quite a few other, like the original version of Hoffman's tales: for some reason a bunch of characters are exchanging tales (or one character telling many tales), and the book is both about the storytelling and the stories themselves.

[Paige]

Christophe wrote: "Paige wrote: "Would The Arabian Nights count? I've been doing research and I can't tell if it's a bunch of stories within a story or a collection of tales."

It's both, just like Boccacio's Decamer..."

Thank you for clearing that up! That's the one I want to do for this challenge then.

[Sara]

I recently read Thirteen Reasons Why, and I feel like it meets the requirement since we witness one character's experiences as he listens to a girl's narrative of why she's decided to commit suicide.

[Jenn]

I'm reading Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances by Neil Gaiman for this. It's a compilation of short stories, which I think fits the criteria.

[Kirsten]

Jenn wrote: "I'm reading Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances by Neil Gaiman for this. It's a compilation of short stories, which I think fits the criteria."

Uh... no. It's not supposed to be a book of short stories. It's when one character ends up telling a story as part of the narrative process.

[Badseedgirl]

I read The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King. This book is nothing but a story within a story. It is Roland sitting by a fire telling his friends a story. In the story he is telling, one of the characters tells another story about Merlin and a tiger. so this is actually a story within a story within a book. Wrap your mind around that one!

[Asia_k]

Marissa wrote: "Would Cloud Atlas work for this prompt?"
Of course!

[Rachel]

I just finished rereading The Neverending Story for this prompt! I hadn't read it since elementary school, and it's such a classic. It's a fantasy lovers dream. I also grew up watching the movie, and I think that the book is a great expansion on that.

[Roachie]

Elizabeth wrote: "Arabian Nights is a great classic with stories within a story. Just a suggestion "

Hmm, A Thousand Nights is a YA retelling/re-imagining of that; I wonder if it could work as well?

[Seonabeth]

Wondering if Seannan McGuire's Indexing would work? It's a story that involves fairy tales coming to life?

[Beth]

I'm reading Eve by Wm. Paul Young. I choose almost all my books by the recommendations of my friends, so I'm not certain I'm totally sold that this a story within a story, but I'm okay with it.

[Tania]

Paige wrote: "Christophe wrote: "Paige wrote: "Would The Arabian Nights count? I've been doing research and I can't tell if it's a bunch of stories within a story or a collection of tales."

It's both, just like..."

Arabian Nights is one of my favorite books, enjoy!

[Michelle]

I read The Gum Thief for a different book challenge I'm doing this year and was pleasantly surprised to discover that it would fit for this category. The main character is writing a novel and there's excerpts of it included. Additionally, nearly all of the book is written in letters between different characters, so it could work for that prompt as well.

[Christy]

I read The Blind Assassin for this prompt, and I absolutely loved it. Now I'm trying to fit Margaret Atwood books into other prompts so I can get my fix!

[Jessica]

I read this one:

[Kristin]

The World According to Garp by John Irving is one of my all time favorites, and fits perfectly for this challenge!

[Ashley]

I just finished Behind Her Eyes, and I think that could work for this prompt!

[Angela Sunshine]

The One-in-a-Million Boy works too.

[Megan]

For this prompt, I read The Book of Summer which is a novel I received from Netgalley. This novel takes place on Nantucket in present day through the eyes of Bess and also in the 1940s through Ruby's perspective (Bess's grandmother). The book is tied together with The Book of Summer, a journal started by Ruby's mother, filled with the memories of house guests (up until present day) in the Nantucket house.

[Laura]

I read The Book of Speculation for last year's challenge, and it definitely would fit this category. It's about a family of circus performers and tarot readers, and part of the story is told through an old circus master's logbook. It was pretty good - very entertaining and an interesting narrative form.

[Jessica]

The Emperor of Any Place - YA book with historical, mystery, and fantasy elements. The story within the story is the book the MC is reading, a diary of a Japanese soldier stranded on a small Pacific island in WWII.

Also, The One Hundred Nights of Hero. A graphic novel that puts a spin on the One Thousand and One Nights story (aka Arabian Nights).

[Barbara]

Just finished The Pearl that Broke its Shell, by Nadia Hashimi. Fits this category perfectly, as well as several others in the challenge. A gut-wrenching but worthwhile read.

[Sabrina]

Would "A Series of Unfortunate Events" qualify for this? I've been meaning to look into this series for a long time and I might have an extra excuse to do so now.

[Mirel]

Christy wrote: "I read The Blind Assassin for this prompt, and I absolutely loved it. Now I'm trying to fit Margaret Atwood books into other prompts so I can get my fix!"

How about The Edible Woman? I used that for the food challenge...

[Lyndsay]

I just finished Love & Gelato for this prompt. I enjoyed it!

[Ashley]

Sabrina wrote: "Would "A Series of Unfortunate Events" qualify for this? I've been meaning to look into this series for a long time and I might have an extra excuse to do so now."

I'm not sure these books would fit for this challenge, but perhaps another task like "First book in a series I haven't read before" or "Book by an author who uses a pseudonym"?

[Brandyn]

I just finished Station Eleven and I think it fits this prompt.

[Christy]

Mirel wrote: "Christy wrote: "I read The Blind Assassin for this prompt, and I absolutely loved it. Now I'm trying to fit Margaret Atwood books into other prompts so I can get my fix!"

How about [book:The Edibl..."
I love that idea! Thanks!

[Laurie]

Christy wrote: "I read The Blind Assassin for this prompt, and I absolutely loved it. Now I'm trying to fit Margaret Atwood books into other prompts so I can get my fix!"

You could use The Penelopiad for a book based on mythology.

[Jackie]

Sabrina wrote: "Would "A Series of Unfortunate Events" qualify for this? I've been meaning to look into this series for a long time and I might have an extra excuse to do so now."

It's a great series, but not for this prompt.

[Sabrina]

Jackie wrote: "It's a great series, but not for this prompt."

Ashley wrote: "I'm not sure these books would fit for this challenge, but perhaps another task like "First book in a series I haven't read before" or "Book by an author who uses a pseudonym"?"

That's unfortunate. Thank you both for telling me. I already have something for "First book in a series" and the "Pseudonym" prompts so I might have to either rearrange a few planned books or find another prompt for it.

[Debbie]

Sabrina wrote: "Would "A Series of Unfortunate Events" qualify for this? I've been meaning to look into this series for a long time and I might have an extra excuse to do so now."

Ha! I never would have thought of this series, but it /totally/ fits. Technically, the author Lemony Snicket is an investigator who has been tracking down the twins and Count Olaf through the entire series. There's even a neat multigenre Unauthorized Autobiography (which is funny) of Lemony Snicket that gathers all the random stuff that spans the parts of the series.

[Robyn]

Has anyone read The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro? I just finished this last week and was wondering if I could use it for this category?

[Heidi]

I just finished Walk Two Moons and realized that it was definitely a story within a story...FYI, It's children/young adult.

[Pioup]

I'm reading The Encyclopedia of Early Earth and it's a good one for this category too (too bad I've already filled this prompt!)

[Carrie]

I read A Tie That Binds.