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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 777 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 595 Views
I enjoyed reading the Bayard. Cockatiel of Doom - 12/03/2010 11:55:09 PM 532 Views
Re: I enjoyed reading the Bayard. Camilla - 14/03/2010 10:56:54 AM 595 Views
Re: I enjoyed reading the Bayard. Cockatiel of Doom - 16/03/2010 10:37:35 PM 566 Views
Re: I enjoyed reading the Bayard. Camilla - 16/03/2010 10:39:13 PM 554 Views
Yes. Cockatiel of Doom - 17/03/2010 05:01:31 PM 591 Views
Re: Yes. Camilla - 17/03/2010 07:53:38 PM 481 Views
I don't mind either way. jh - 12/03/2010 10:18:03 AM 584 Views
Your face is an unreliable horse! snoopcester - 12/03/2010 10:25:32 AM 587 Views
I think it's fairly logical that genre fiction doesn't employ it as often. Legolas - 12/03/2010 01:21:06 PM 751 Views
Well, isn't Erikson notable for his unreliable POVs? Ghavrel - 14/03/2010 12:57:25 AM 581 Views
Hm. Yeigh? Rebekah - 12/03/2010 05:15:41 PM 647 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 536 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 662 Views
I think because of our cynical nature Ryan - 19/03/2010 06:58:05 AM 553 Views
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