The book you like most discussion
Preferred point of view: 1st-person or 3rd-person?


For fantasy, I prefer 3rd person limited.
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Noel ◇I'm A Genie In A Bottle, You Gotta Rub Me The Right Way◇
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And if its like in Chapter 1 one characters POV and in next Chapter the others its awesome :D


Lol… I appreciate your honesty, and it’s probably true for many of us.

For fantasy, I prefer 3rd person limited."
That makes sense. I usually need to like and care about the character to engage fully with 1st-person POV. Exception: the narrators of Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories

And if its like in Chapter 1 one characters POV and in next Chapter the others its awesome :D"
Yes, as long as it’s clear whose POV it is, I enjoy alternating narrators as well.
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Noel ◇I'm A Genie In A Bottle, You Gotta Rub Me The Right Way◇
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I didn’t really consider it being genre dependent, but I can see where that could matter. Thanks for making me think!


And that means you get to read whatever you wish! :)
I don’t usually think about it beforehand, but sometimes I wonder about it while reading: do I want to invest in one character or do I want to hear from others as well? Of course, well-written dialogue and actions of others can help even when it is 1st-person.

I think that is what matters most. Admittedly, we may fall into patterns without giving it too much thought.

The throne of glass series is in 3rd person, and it irritated me so much at first, but I am used to it now, so it doesn't bother me much, but I still prefer 1st person to 3rd

Haha… how do you really feel about it? ;)
Thank you. I appreciate your response.

The throne of glass series is in 3rd person, and it irritated me so much at first, but I am used to it now, so it doesn't bother me much, but I still prefer 1st person to 3rd"
It’s interesting that the series adjusted your thinking even if you still have a preference.



It does make sense. It’s fun when that happens.

That mix would be confusing. You can have more than one narrator as long as it’s clear, but interchanging types of point of view doesn’t work.

Is 1st-person better for you because you feel you can relate to the character or because you get to know their thoughts even if you can’t relate?

Is 1st-person better for you because you feel you can relate to the character or because you get to know their thoughts even if you can’t relate?

Is 1st-person better for you because you feel you can relate to the character or because you get to know their thoughts even if you can’t relate?



I believe that’s the key to unlocking the door to reader engagement.

I appreciate your dual description of how the two points of view result in a slightly different experience.

The genre does seem to matter. I think I’ve encountered more 1st-person in YA and a slight preference for 3rd-person for younger middle-grade books, but there are notable exceptions.

I appreciate your open attitude to both.

I wonder if preference changes over time. I’ve noticed more 3rd-person for young middle-grade readers, more 1st-person for YA readers, and then a slight shift back to 3rd-person for readers of multiple genres.

Examples:
1st-person for Hunger Games series and the classic To Kill a Mockingbird
3rd-person for Harry Potter series and Lord of the Rings (well, mostly)