When You Think Of Memorable Narrative Voices, What Books Come To Mind? (10/8/23)

[Marc]

Which books spring to mind when you think of the most memorable narrative voices?

[Lark]

Charles Portis, True Grit

Saul Bellow, Henderson the Rain King

W.G. Sebald, Austerlitz

Louisa Hall, Reproduction

Noreen Masud, A Flat Place

[Bill]

The first two I think of are both 20th century though: Nabokov's Pale Fire (obvious) and Susan Taubes' Lament for Julia, which I just finished.

I'll try to think of some 21st century examples...

[Kathleen]

First two that come to mind are
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, and
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

Thinking just a bit more, there's these:
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin

[Ruben]

Quite literally: A Prayer for Owen Meany

[Bretnie]

Kathleen wrote: "Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin."

This was the first thing that came to mind for me! I read the main character's voice as so panicked. Interestingly when I watched the movie version of the book, they have the narrator's voice much more calm. "NONE OF THIS IS IMPORTANT" was such a haunting phrase to me for a while.

Also memorable narrative voices:
-Kathy from Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
-Lilith from Octavia Butler's Lilith's Brood trilogy
-the boy from Jonathan Safran Foer's Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
-and of course, Murderbot, from Martha Wells's series

[Stacia]

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

The Plover by Brian Doyle

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

To be honest, although To Kill a Mockingbird was the first one that sprung to mind, I think I'd answer Beloved and Jazz by Toni Morrison.

[Greg]

Thinking of narrative voice, what comes to mind for me are works like The Member of the Wedding (Carson McCullers) and Why I Live at the P.O. and Other Stories (Eudora Welty) . . . books where I feel like the character is sitting there talking to me, telling me the whole story word for word.

[Nadine in California]

I remember writing a review of a book that was all about how much I loved the narrative voice and why, but I can't remember what it was. Dang! I wish there was a way to keyword search all my reviews.

But I can give a shout out to James McBride - whose narrative voice is filled with warmth and humor for his characters and his readers. I haven't read all of his books (yet) but I'm thinking specifically of Deacon King Kong, The Good Lord Bird, and his latest, which just won The National Book Award, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store.

[Stacia]

Nadine, I totally agree about The Good Lord Bird. Such a great narrative voice! (I haven't read the other McBride books.)

[Whitney]

The one that is always first in my mind is Riddley Walker. Which reminds me it's time for a reread.

Definite yes to Pale Fire, and just about anything by Ishiguro.

And now I need to add the McBride books to my TBR.

[Kathleen]

Greg wrote: "Thinking of narrative voice, what comes to mind for me are works like The Member of the Wedding (Carson McCullers) and [book:Why I Live at the P.O. and Other Stories|136..."

Excellent picks, Greg!

[Greg]

Kathleen wrote: "Excellent picks, Greg"

Thanks Kathleen!

[Tracy]

Definitely Maddie from True Grit. Loved that book!

Patrick Bateman from American Psycho
Honestly, I love an unreliable narrator, so if they’re done well, I’m all in.

[Lesley]

Thomas Cromwell in The Mirror & the Light
Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird
Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye
Kathy in Never Let Me Go
Klara in Klara and the Sun
Ishmael in Moby-Dick or, The Whale
Moll in Moll Flanders
Robinson Crusoe in Robinson Crusoe
Tom in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
Huckleberry Finn in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

[Sam]

Halloween picks:

We Have Always Lived in the Castle Shirley Jackson

A Clockwork Orange Anthony Burgess

The Wasp Factory Iain Banks

Also something more recent not as Halloween themed but a distinctive voice:

Shuggie Bain Douglas Stuart