Books Messageboard: Re: Unreliable narrators: yay or nay? Or neigh? And if so, and you are a horse, how are you typing? by Camilla

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Re: Unreliable narrators: yay or nay? Or neigh? And if so, and you are a horse, how are you typing? Camilla Send a noteboard - 12/03/2010 09:12:23 AM

1. Do you go into a novel with the assumption that the narrator will be reliable? Why?

I think everyone does, usually, because that is the main convention. But I keep my eyes open, of course.

2. Do you actively assess a narrator's reliability? Do you do it often? Are there triggers that make you stop and judge the narrator's reliability?

Of course. More so when my brain is awake, as I am more likely to actively distrust the narrator for fun (usually I only do this when rereading).

3. Do you prefer books with unreliable narrators? Why?

I like them. But that is not generally what dictates whether I like or dislike a book. Books with unreliable narrators are more often written by people who know what they are doing, though.

Feel free to hijack this into a discussion on reliability vs. unreliability, a critique on the concept of "realistic" vs "fantastic" fiction with regards to narrators' reliability (I'm looking at you, Larry), implicit misogyny in the assumption of certain narrative archetypes, etc.

I do enough of that in my work hours.
Have you read Sherlock Holmes Was Wrong by Pierre Bayard? He grounds it in some dubious psychology, but the main part of it, where he picks apart The Hound of the Baskervilles is very good.

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Unreliable narrators: yay or nay? Or neigh? And if so, and you are a horse, how are you typing? Ghavrel - 12/03/2010 05:20:09 AM 775 Views

Re: Unreliable narrators: yay or nay? Or neigh? And if so, and you are a horse, how are you typing? Camilla - 12/03/2010 09:12:23 AM 594 Views

I enjoyed reading the Bayard. Cockatiel of Doom - 12/03/2010 11:55:09 PM 530 Views

Re: I enjoyed reading the Bayard. Camilla - 14/03/2010 10:56:54 AM 593 Views

Re: I enjoyed reading the Bayard. Cockatiel of Doom - 16/03/2010 10:37:35 PM 564 Views

Re: I enjoyed reading the Bayard. Camilla - 16/03/2010 10:39:13 PM 552 Views

Yes. Cockatiel of Doom - 17/03/2010 05:01:31 PM 589 Views

Re: Yes. Camilla - 17/03/2010 07:53:38 PM 480 Views

I don't mind either way. jh - 12/03/2010 10:18:03 AM 582 Views

Your face is an unreliable horse! snoopcester - 12/03/2010 10:25:32 AM 586 Views

I think it's fairly logical that genre fiction doesn't employ it as often. Legolas - 12/03/2010 01:21:06 PM 750 Views

Well, isn't Erikson notable for his unreliable POVs? Ghavrel - 14/03/2010 12:57:25 AM 579 Views

Hm. Yeigh? Rebekah - 12/03/2010 05:15:41 PM 645 Views

I think that unreliable narrators tend to be written by more experienced or skillful authors. lord-of-shadow - 12/03/2010 06:56:06 PM 534 Views

I like it when they are well written rAndy aL - 15/03/2010 08:44:02 AM 781 Views

Like anything else it is good when done right random thoughts - 15/03/2010 10:32:48 PM 661 Views

I think because of our cynical nature Ryan - 19/03/2010 06:58:05 AM 551 Views

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<quote id="88015">1. Do you go into a novel with the assumption that the narrator will be reliable? Why?</quote>

I think everyone does, usually, because that is the main convention. But I keep my eyes open, of course.

<quote id="88015">2. Do you actively assess a narrator's reliability? Do you do it often? Are there triggers that make you stop and judge the narrator's reliability?</quote>

Of course. More so when my brain is awake, as I am more likely to actively distrust the narrator for fun (usually I only do this when rereading).

<quote id="88015">3. Do you prefer books with unreliable narrators? Why?</quote>

I like them. But that is not generally what dictates whether I like or dislike a book. Books with unreliable narrators are more often written by people who know what they are doing, though.

<quote id="88015">Feel free to hijack this into a discussion on reliability vs. unreliability, a critique on the concept of "realistic" vs "fantastic" fiction with regards to narrators' reliability (I'm looking at you, Larry), implicit misogyny in the assumption of certain narrative archetypes, etc. </quote>

I do enough of that in my work hours.
Have you read <i>Sherlock Holmes Was Wrong</i> by Pierre Bayard? He grounds it in some dubious psychology, but the main part of it, where he picks apart <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i> is very good. 
</quote>

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