The book you like most discussion

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Preferred point of view: 1st-person or 3rd-person?

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message 51: by Cam (new)

Cam | 17 comments i’m a first person girly all the way, and if it’s dual pov, double score. i just love knowing the inner dialogue of the characters, i feel like you can get to know them so much better and more easily.
however, i’ve read a couple of third person books in the last year and i have to admit i was surprised i liked them so much.
but still, first person wins every time


message 52: by mar (new)

mar  | 12 comments Honestly, I don't care about the point of view, I get immersed in the story and I don't notice :p


message 53: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments Elvira wrote: “That might just be because of the writing style, but well written books are good no matter the pov"..."

Yes, I agree. Readers may prefer a type, but good writing is the main thing.


Melody (belongs to skz) | 26 comments i prefer 3rd person but if it's like a rom-com kind of book then 1st, especially with dual POVs


message 55: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments Melody wrote: "i prefer 3rd person but if it's like a rom-com kind of book then 1st, especially with dual POVs"

It’s interesting to me that so many are mentioning how much they enjoy dual points of view. Thanks for responding!


message 56: by Dee (new)

Dee Turner | 17 comments Who cares? I look for quality in the drafting and intellectual rigor in how the story proceeds. Sometimes a book will vary from 1st person to omniscient observer and back again--I recently read a fantastic book, like 10 stars, translated from Danish, titled We the Drowned, which very effectively used a composite "we" as first person, speaking for an entire generation in the village of Marstal in Denmark.


message 57: by ali (new)

ali | 76 comments 3rd person is usally my favorite


message 58: by Shawnee904 (new)

Shawnee904 | 5 comments I usually don't care. What does bug me is when it isn't clear who's POV I'm reading.


message 59: by Kimberlee (new)

Kimberlee (luvmyroarke) | 40 comments It's a toss depending on the book and genre.


message 60: by Angela (new)

Angela (dtt1amt1outlookcom) | 35 comments Not bothered , as long as the grammar is correct, coherent and consistent. It must fit well with the storyline.


message 61: by Birdtrovert (new)

Birdtrovert | 11 comments Either or. I mean 1st person can either be really emotional or kinda cheesy. And 3rd person can either build a lot of character depth for multiple characters or be confusing and messy. It depends on the book and the author (if they are capable).


message 62: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments Dee wrote: "Who cares? I look for quality in the drafting and intellectual rigor in how the story proceeds. Sometimes a book will vary from 1st person to omniscient observer and back again--I recently read a f..."

A unique POV that sounds worth the reading


message 63: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments Kira wrote: "If the book is well written, it doesn't matter to me whether it's 1st or 3rd. If there are multiple narrators, I prefer to have either all 3rd person or one main narrator in 1st person and the rest..."

Yes, a lack of POV clarity can be frustrating.


message 64: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments Birdtrovert wrote: "Either or. I mean 1st person can either be really emotional or kinda cheesy. And 3rd person can either build a lot of character depth for multiple characters or be confusing and messy. It depends o..."

That’s true. Either way, one has to engage with the characters for the chosen POV to work.


message 65: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments Angela wrote: "Not bothered , as long as the grammar is correct, coherent and consistent. It must fit well with the storyline."

Unfortunately, the inconsistencies appear in books of all types, but I see it more often in some (but certainly not all) self-published books.


message 66: by Pete (new)

Pete Carroll | 4 comments 3rd person all the way, a book has to be almost exceptional for me to be able to enjoy it as first person.


message 67: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments Kimberlee wrote: "It's a toss depending on the book and genre."

Thankfully, both can succeed.


message 68: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments Shawnee904 wrote: "I usually don't care. What does bug me is when it isn't clear who's POV I'm reading."

I agree… that is a problem.


message 69: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments ali wrote: "3rd person is usally my favorite"

If I like the characters, I often want to share their experiences from more than one perspective.


Artemis~Ebonie (Inactive) | 65 comments I honestly will sometimes get halfway through a book before I notice it's written in third person. Like Six of Crows, I didn't notice till at least page 300. Heroes of Olympus took until I was on my second time reading the fifth book. So I really just don't care. But once I read a book in 2nd person and it really screwed with my mind.


message 71: by Shawna (new)

Shawna Finnigan (sugoishawn) | 120 comments 1st person


message 72: by Kawaii (new)

Kawaii Suzuke | 22 comments I'm ok with anything, but if the main character is a man I usually prefer in 1st person


message 73: by Circa24 (new)

Circa24 Circa24 | 32 comments It depends on the book. Different narrations work better with different topics.


message 74: by Rori (new)

Rori | 99 comments 1st.


message 75: by Ms.Sophia (new)

Ms.Sophia Firewall | 44 comments 1st person! And definitely a fan of Female main characters point of view!


message 76: by prisha (new)

prisha 3rd always


message 77: by Avery (new)

Avery | 1 comments 1st person


message 78: by Barbara (new)

Barbara (quakerwidow) | 155 comments It depends on the story, but I prefer whichever is chosen that it remains consistent, or at least makes clear when a switch is made. I've had a couple of ARCs where POV switches back and forth WITHIN a paragraph! This is definitely NOT cool!


˚₊‧꒰ა Naomi ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ | 48 comments 1st person is usually not done right. Sometimes, it makes the main character seem incredibly selfish or the opposite. No in between. But in 3rd pov, you never guess what any of the characters are thinking. Not even the main characters!


message 80: by Emeroxic (new)

Emeroxic  (emeroxic) | 22 comments Depends on genre and writing. Dark Romance, thrillers i usually enjoy 1st person. But mystery, literary i prefer 3rd.


message 81: by Emma (new)

Emma | 112 comments I don't dislike 1st person, but it's rare that I see an author use it effectively. I think 3rd person generally works better.


message 82: by kayla (new)

kayla (kaylacallahann) | 101 comments 1st person


message 83: by evie *s-ia* (new)

evie *s-ia*  | 45 comments 1st person but i dont mind third person


message 84: by Curly (new)

Curly | 23 comments 1st person


message 85: by Rebecca (new)

Rebecca Cecil | 275 comments Never really thought about it but now looking back most books I read are 3rd POV. Iris Johansen love her Eve Duncan books.


message 86: by Audrey (new)

Audrey Adams | 39 comments 1st person for me :)


message 87: by Cary (last edited Feb 18, 2024 12:10AM) (new)

Cary | 46 comments Audrey wrote: "1st person for me :)"

I like both, depending on the story, but isn’t it nice there are enough books that we can all choose what we prefer?

Thanks for responding!


Nora (Grayson's version) (noraseed) | 179 comments depends on the plot


message 89: by Rebecca (new)

Rebecca Cecil | 275 comments Both it really depends on the story. I usually do not think about it. I look at the cover at the title, read the back of the to see if I am interested. And I read the book. I probably have read more 3rd person POV more.


message 90: by Ria (new)

Ria  (riaarch) | 33 comments 1st person and I love a dual POV In Romance


message 91: by Kacey (new)

Kacey Daniels {hiatus} | 5 comments Dual 1st person povs is my fave! But if it’s written well I can enjoy 3rd also.


message 92: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments Rebecca wrote: "Both it really depends on the story. I usually do not think about it. I look at the cover at the title, read the back of the to see if I am interested. And I read the book. I probably have read mor..."

Your process makes sense to me. I don’t usually think about it either unless it gets confusing.


message 93: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments Ria wrote: "1st person and I love a dual POV In Romance"

Yes, the dual POV for romance certainly seems appropriate.


message 94: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments Nora (Grayson's version) wrote: "depends on the plot"

Some stories fit one or the other better, don’t they?


message 95: by Oscar (new)

Oscar | 6 comments It doesn't matter


message 96: by Cary (new)

Cary | 46 comments Kacey wrote: "Dual 1st person povs is my fave! But if it’s written well I can enjoy 3rd also."

Though I’m not sure what genres you prefer, perhaps the use of dual 1st-person POV has increased with the popularity of romance books. Thanks for responding!


message 97: by Cary (last edited Feb 18, 2024 12:20AM) (new)

Cary | 46 comments Oscar wrote: "It doesn't matter"

I agree. It shouldn’t make a difference. The story matters more than the chosen POV, but some stories seem to fit one POV better than the other.


message 98: by Rabiya ❁ (new)

Rabiya ❁ (_rabiya20) | 4 comments I enjoy both but sometimes I feel like I can connect more with the characters when it's 1st person.


message 99: by James (new)

James Joyce (james_patrick_joyce) | 16 comments The proper POV for that story, as told.

Any POV can be called for... though I've never really encountered a 2nd Person story that I liked, same as I have never encountered a story that played with tense, much.

First Person is useful if the author wants to get into the mind of the main character, but that's not always necessary. Sometimes it's counter-productive.

Third Person is useful if the author wants the reader to know what other people are seeing/thinking. Same as the above.

I can't really imagine wishing the author had told the story in the wrong way, because I prefer it...


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