1. Kalisto

    Kalisto Senior Member

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    Books with a perspective similar to the Great Gatsby

    Discussion in 'Research' started by Kalisto, Jan 6, 2021.

    The Great Gatsby has a unique perspective. It's told from Nick's point of view, but the story isn't actually about him. He's merely observing the going ons with high society. As a result, Nick is able to see the overall flaws of that society and give it an honest critique.

    I'm writing a fantasy story with sort of that same idea behind it. Your young man going on to find his place in the world and becomes "awakened" to realities of the world he formally idolized.

    Are there other books I could read like that to perhaps nab a bit of inspiration on how the perspective is presented?
     
  2. J.T. Woody

    J.T. Woody Book Witch Contributor

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    So, a couple of book club members and i had a debate over The Red Haired Woman by Orhan Pamuk. We couldnt figure out whos POV is was from. Reading it, it came across as if it was from the POV of the main character....until the end. Its like, was it written from the POV of his son ABOUT him... Or from the mother of the son and her love/distain for the main character.

    Are you interested more so in the "awakening" aspect of it or in the writing of it (the POV thing you mentioned about how its from Nick's perspective about Gatsby)?

    Also, there is a prequel that came out yesterday called Nick by Michael Farris Smith about Nicks life before he moved to West Egg. I havent read it yet, but maybe Smith uses similar writing styles?
     
    Dogberry's Watch likes this.
  3. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    If you're interested in learning about POV and the fact that the main character, narrator, author and POV character don't all need to be the same person, there's a lot of good specific info about this on the website Novel Writing Help.

    Here's a good article detailing the differences, with links going to other ones that will help unravel it all: Third Person Narrative Theory Made Easy.
     
    Kalisto likes this.
  4. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    The Sherlock Holmes stories are written from the POV of Dr Watson, Holmes' friend and colleague. Amazon has the entire collection of stories in Kindle format for 49 cents (for that price, I'll bet it's loaded with SPAG errors if not worse): The Complete Sherlock Holmes

    I checked at Archive.org, apparently these stories are in the public domain, but all the books I saw there seem to be only to borrow, not to keep. You only get it for like an hour and would need to keep re-borrowing.

    Hold on, it looks like Project Gutenberg has it for download, and it doesn't seem to be only to borrow: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
     
    Megan-Leigh likes this.
  5. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    The Long Firm by Jake Arnott, is the story of Gangster Harry Starks, told from 5 different pov's but not Starks himself
     
  6. jim onion

    jim onion New Member

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    Chronicle of a Death Foretold.
     

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