Spotlight List: Alternating POV Narration

Spotlight is a feature I do where I pick a topic or theme and then highlight some books that fall into that theme.

Alternating POV Narration

Perhaps it's my short attention span, or maybe my preference for "More is more" but I am a big fan of alternating narratives. The romantic in me especially swoons when I see a relationship grow through both perspectives (especially when they start out hating each other). The psychology-background in me loves seeing how differently two people can view the same situation. Either way, I'm a sucker for alternating perspectives.

Added bonus: If you can squeeze in any of these by the end of the month you can use it to enter the All Male Review challenge hosted by Missie from The Unread Reader and Logan E. Turner!

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Release Date: October 18, 2007
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 288
Goodreads Page

I LOVE this book. The alternating perspectives here is a little unconventional. One side of the narration is told by Hannah through audiotapes she recorded before she killed herself. The other side follows Clay as he listens to those tapes after Hannah has already died. Hannah slowly reveals why she killed herself, and her reasons are as surprising as they are polarizing. This has proven to be a controversial book, but for me it was touching and heartbreaking. Clay's frustration at not being able to affect Hannah's decision mirrored my own as a reader. Regardless of what you personally feel about Hannah's actions, the narrative choice is executed perfectly and allows the author to tell a story that could not have been accomplished as well with a different narrative choice.

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
Release Date: May 13, 2003
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 224
Goodreads Page

Bryce hates Juli from the moment he meets her. Juli loves Bryce from the instant she sets eyes on him. Of course this is when they're both in elementary school. As the years go by, Bryce slowly begins to see something in Juli he hadn't seen before...and Juli starts to realize that maybe Bryce isn't as great as she had thought. An amusing spin on love/hate relationships, Flipped is filled with scenes that underscore how important perspective can be. Instead of the story moving in a completely linear direction, Wendelin writes each scene first through the eyes of one character and then rewinds things to show how the same scene played out in the other character's perspective. That might seem boring and repetitive, but it truly isn't. It's fascinating. And bawl-your-eyes-out heartbreaking. And adorably perfect. Ultimately, Wendelin shows how the way we see ourselves is not necessarily the way others see us...for better or worse.

As You Wish by Jackson Pearce
Release Date: September 1, 2009
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 304
Goodreads Page

Viola is the lucky recepient of three wishes, doled out by an exasperated genie named Jinn...who also happens to be pretty cute. Viola's sections let the reader connect with her as she struggles to make the perfect wishes that will bring her happiness. Meanwhile Jinn's chapters show him starting out frustrated and just wanting to get home, but slowly coming around to care for Viola. This book is mostly about Viola gaining confidence in herself, but Jinn's perspective adds that super-sweet dose of romance I love to read about.

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Release Date: February 1, 2009
Publisher: Harcourt
Pages: 351
Goodreads Page

Most of this book is told through Jessica's point of view, though we are treated to Lucius's perspective through letters to his uncle. I loved how Lucius seemed like a total jerk in Jessica's chapters, but then we get to see another side of him through his letters. He's kind of an arrogant jerk there too, but we're given a glimpse at the kind of pressure his uncle is placing on him and this gives us an explanation for his behavior. While Jessica seethes, I felt sorry for him because I understood. I wish I could have reached into the book to help explain things to Jessica when she gets confused by Lucius's mixed signals, but luckily they don't need my intervention.

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn
Release Date: May 1, 2009
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 371
Goodreads Page

This is another hate-turned-love relationship. Each character sees the other in a negative light, but we the reader get to see their softer sides. The dual narration helps the reader see depth in characters who might have otherwise come across as flat or not very nice. One of the reasons I dislike insta-love is because the author rarely gives a reason WHY the characters fall in love. Through the alternating perspectives in A Kiss in Time, Alex Flinn shows what exactly the characters see in one another that leads them to fall in love. I appreciated the slow realization and the cumulative observations of goodness in one another.

What are some of your favorite books with alternating POV narration? Have you read any of these books? Feel free to add links to your reviews!

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Spotlight List: Sleeping Beauty Retold

Spotlight is a feature I do where I pick a topic or theme and then highlight some books that fall into that theme. Here are some previous Spotlight posts:

Classics that are Actually Fun to Read
Little Red Riding Hood Retold

I'm always a sucker for a good fairy tale retelling. I like seeing how different authors take the same basic story and make it their own. My favorite movie when I was very young was Disney's Sleeping Beauty. I would watch it over and over again every day (scanning through the parts with Maleficent's henchmen because they frightened me!), so the Sleeping Beauty story holds a special place in my heart. The following are some authors' takes on the tale. Some I've read, some I haven't.

Beauty Sleep, by Cameron Dokey
Release Date: December 2002
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages:186
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

Part of the Once Upon a Time series of fairy tale retellings, Beauty Sleep is a completely unique twist on the classic tale. The set up is familiar enough (bad fairy not invited, curses child, good fairy changes curse of death to curse of sleep), but the resolution is what makes this story different.The ending is a really original spin on how the curse plays out, an ending that I found wholly satisfying. Much of the story is spent following Princess Aurore's life in her castle and her relationship with her cousin who is a complicated and likable man. You really get to know Aurore in this version, and I found myself liking her very much. While this is a short book, there are no less than three parts that really touched me, and one that even made me cry a little. I highly recommend this one as both a touching story in its own right and an interesting retelling.

Briar Rose, by Jane Yolen
Release Date: March 15, 2002
Publisher: Tor Teen
Pages: 224
Author's Page
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

I haven't read this one, but I remember loving Jane Yolen when I was younger.

From Goodreads:

Ever since she was a child, Rebecca has been enchanted by her grandmother Gemma’s stories about Briar Rose. But a promise Rebecca makes to her dying grandmother will lead her on a remarkable journey to uncover the truth of Gemma’s astonishing claim: I am Briar Rose. A journey that will lead her to unspeakable brutality and horror. But also to redemption and hope. A Tor Teen edition of the modern classic by critically-acclaimed author Jane Yolen

A Kiss in Time, by Alex Flinn
Release Date: April 28, 2009
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 384
Author's Page
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

Set in modern times, this story alternates narration between the princess Talia, who has slept through the last 300 years, and the definitely-not-a-prince Jack, who had the misfortune of waking up Talia and her entire kingdom. Will Jack and Talia fall in love? Can Talia and her kingdom adapt to living in the 21st century? To complicate matters further, neither characters' parents are too keen on the situation and the witch that created the curse isn't satisfied with it's outcome.

Both characters start out as aimless and bratty teenagers but grow through the story by seeing themselves and their actions through the eyes of one another. Despite their bratty starts, both characters are likable and have distinct voices. I laughed out loud a number of times (the scene at the modeling agency was great!) and enjoyed this Flinn offering even more than her previous fairy tale retelling, Beastly. Definitely recommended.

 

When Rose Wakes, by Christopher Golden
Release Date: September 28, 2010
Publisher: MTV
Pages: 320
Author's Page
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

I haven't read this one either, but it sounds interesting.

Product Description:

Her terrifying dreams are nothing compared to the all-too-real nightmare that awaits. . . .Ever since sixteen-year-old Rose DuBois woke up from months in a coma with absolutely no memories, she’s had to start from scratch. She knows she loves her two aunts who take care of her, and that they all used to live in France, but everything else from her life before is a blank.Rose tries to push through the memory gaps and start her new life, attending high school and living in Boston with her aunts, who have seriously old world ideas. Especially when it comes to boys. But despite their seemingly irrational fears and odd superstitions, they insist Rose not worry about the eerie dreams she’s having, vivid nightmares that she comes to realize are strangely like the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. The evil witch, the friendly fairies, a curse that puts an entire town to sleep—Rose relives the frightening story every night. And when a mysterious raven-haired woman starts following her, Rose begins to wonder if she is the dormant princess. And now that she’s awake, she’s in terrible, terrible danger. . . .

 

The Wide-Awake Princess, by E. D. Baker
Release Date: May 11, 2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 272
Author's Page
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

Sleeping Beauty isn't the protagonist of this version. She spends most of the time sleeping. Instead, her younger sister Annie steals the show as she sets out to try to undo the curse and find a prince to kiss her sister. Annie is immune to magic, so a lot of funny scenes ensue as other fairy tale people try to cast spells on her. While Sleeping Beauty is the main focus of this story, a whole host of other fairy tales are also included. I laughed my way through this book. Annie and Liam, the castle guard who accompanies her, are both very likable characters who break the stereotypical molds of "tough girl" and her guy.

 

Thornspell, by Helen Lowe
Release Date: September 9, 2008
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Author's Page
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

I started reading this one but didn't get very far. I don't have any complaints about the book (other than the beginning seemed kind of slow), but I think I just wasn't in the right mood at the time. I did like that this one is from the point of view of the prince.The cover is also pretty neat looking. 

 Goodreads Description: 

PRINCE SIGISMUND HAS grown up in a remote castle, dreaming of going on heroic knightly quests while staring out at the forbidden wood that looms to the west. His great-grandfather placed an interdict on the wood nearly 100 years ago, though no one seems to know exactly why. But for those still young or credulous enough to believe in magic, the rumors and stories abound—of an enchanted castle and a sleeping princess cursed by an evil faie.

Helen Lowe has spun a grand, adventurous, romantic tale about the prince destined to wake the sleeping princess. This thoughtful hero must delve into a world of mystery and magic to discover the truth of his own fate. Enemies with powers he never imagined abound, sometimes hiding behind a mask of friendship. And an elusive girl haunts his dreams—is she helping him or binding him tighter into a thorny cage? For Sigismund, the truth turns out to be more fantastical than any story he’s ever heard.

 

Spindle's End, by Robin McKinley
Release Date: 2000
Publisher: Ace
Pages: 384
Author's Page
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

I've never read a Robin McKinley book before (*gasp* I know!) so I haven't read this one either. 

Goodreads Description: 

All the creatures of the forest and field and riverbank knew the infant was special. She was the princess, spirited away from the evil fairy Pernicia on her name-day. But the curse was cast: Rosie was fated to prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a poisoned sleep-a slumber from which no one would be able to rouse her.

 

Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep, by Gail Carson Levine
Release Date: September 8, 1999
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages:112
Author's Page
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

I haven't read this story, but I have read other books by Gail Carson Levine and I've loved them. This one sounds really cute from the description. 

Product Description:

A spiteful fairy. A beautiful princess. An outstretched finger. A spindle. A hundred year snooze. A charming prince. A kiss. All the familiar ingredients.

But wait! Where did that extra prince come from? And those fairy gifts that have never been there before? And what does a flock of balding sheep have to do with anything?

Gail Carson Levine has waved her magic wand over this old standby, and presto! It reappears, transformed—new, sparking, and funny! Hoots and guffaws are likely, chuckles and giggles are guaranteed.

In this third of her Princess Tales, Levine shows a precocious but lovable girl taking control of a destiny she never asked for, with hilarious and happily-ever-after results.

 

The Healer's Apprentice, by Melanie Dickerson
Release Date: September 14, 2010
Publisher: Zondervan
Pages: 272
Author's Page
Amazon Page
Goodreads Page

I'm not really sure I see how this one is a retelling, but I've heard that it is a loose retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I have it on order, so I suppose I'll find out soon enough. The plot sounds interesting, and that cover is so pretty. 

Product Description: 

Two Hearts. One Hope. Rose has been appointed as a healer's apprentice at Hagenheim Castle, a rare opportunity for a woodcutter's daughter like her. While she often feels uneasy at the sight of blood, Rose is determined to prove herself capable. Failure will mean returning home to marry the aging bachelor her mother has chosen for her---a bloated, disgusting merchant who makes Rose feel ill. When Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, it is Rose who must tend to him. As she works to heal his wound, she begins to understand emotions she's never felt before and wonders if he feels the same. But falling in love is forbidden, as Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a mysterious young woman in hiding. As Rose's life spins toward confusion, she must take the first steps on a journey to discover her own destiny.

Have you read any Sleeping Beauty retellings? What did you think of them?

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