Monday, January 19, 2009

Deep POV sample books for Wes-- Help?

Wes asked for some examples of books narrated in deep POV.

I used to know a bunch, when I was writing the POV book. First thing I'd say is-- there are not nearly as many books "in" deep POV as authors who say they write in deep POV. :) And there are many more books that actually use deep POV along with a more distant POV too. Let me see if I can think of some.

Well, Ulysses (by James Joyce) is VERY deep POV, stream of consciousness, at least the Leopold Bloom and Molly Bloom passages. (The Stephen Dedalus passages are more distant.)

Sole Survivor, by Dean R. Koontz. This is almost unbearable, at least the first couple chapters, because it's a third-person narration of a man in terrible grief. If you can bear the vicarious pain, it's a great example of deep POV.

Mr. Murder, also by Dean R. Koontz. You know, really, when Koontz is on, he's the best at this. His deep POV narrators range from a child to a serial (insane) murderer, and then narrative styles reveal a lot about the characters.

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. This is almost stream-of-consciousness.

Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley. This has some really interesting deep POV passages from --get this-- the horse's POV.

Flowers from the Storm, by Laura Kinsale. Again, the deep POV is in certain passages, not the whole book, but she really explores the inner reality of the hero, who is aphasic after a stroke.

Just a start-- can you all give Wes some more suggestions for novels that make good use of deep POV?
Alicia

5 comments:

Wes said...

I'd add A. B. Guthrie's first novel THE BIG SKY. He won a Pulitzer for his second, THE WAY WEST. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay SHANE.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Flowers from the Storm. Kinsale did such a good job with the hero. (And I work in rehabilitation medicine with stroke patients.) I also love this blog. I don't comment very often, but I read it regularly and have learned a lot. This blog is a treasure - thanks so much for taking the time to write it.

As for other examples of deep POV. I'd add Stephen King's Misery.

Anonymous said...

Ack. Please imagine a question mark after POV in my second para. I will proofread better next time. :)

em said...

I loved flowers from the storm, too:).

Wes said...

Thanks for the help. I have your book. I'll check it for references.