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The 52 Book Club's 2025 Challenge - hosted by the52bookclub

Breaks the fourth wall
The fourth wall is an imaginary wall that separates the reader from the characters. We as the reader can see and understand the story, but usually characters don't know of or acknowledge the existence of a reader. When a character breaks the fourth wall, they're removing the barrier between the reader and themselves.

In literature, there are a variety of ways a book may break the fourth wall. One of the most common ways perhaps, is addressing the reader directly. (Think of the famous line from Jane Eyre: "Reader, I married him.")

Narrators may address the reader with side comments or an authorial intrusion. (For example, in The Princess Bride, the narrator uses asides marked in parentheses to comment on the story.) 

Breaking the fourth wall is also commonly used in metafiction. Metafiction intentionally references the work's fictional nature. An example of this is when the narrator or characters are aware of or acknowledge that they are fictional characters. 

While there are a variety of interpretations as to what breaking the fourth wall looks like within literature, for this prompt, we're looking for books that break the barrier between reader and character. It may be something occurring constantly within the book, or only a line or two sprinkled throughout. If you think that's happening in the story, it counts toward this prompt! 
All books added
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Dungeon Crawler Carl

Dungeon Crawler Carl #1

Matt Dinniman

444 pages • paperback • 2020

fiction fantasy science fiction adventurous funny fast-paced
The Asylum Confessions by Jack Steen

The Asylum Confessions

The Asylum Confession Files #1

Jack Steen

5 hours, 33 minutes • audio • 2020 user-added

fiction horror dark tense fast-paced
The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

The Grownup

Gillian Flynn

1 hour, 17 minutes • audio • 2014

fiction horror short stories thriller dark mysterious tense fast-paced
No One Will Miss Her by Kat Rosenfield

No One Will Miss Her

Kat Rosenfield

9 hours, 47 minutes • audio • 2021 user-added

fiction mystery thriller dark mysterious tense medium-paced
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Hercule Poirot #1

Agatha Christie

224 pages • paperback • 1920

fiction classics crime mystery mysterious medium-paced
A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

A Walk to Remember

Nicholas Sparks

210 pages • paperback • 1999

fiction contemporary romance emotional sad medium-paced
The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread

Kate DiCamillo

3 hours, 30 minutes • audio • 2003

fiction fantasy middle grade adventurous lighthearted fast-paced
Answers in the Pages by David Levithan

Answers in the Pages

David Levithan

176 pages • hardcover • 2022

fiction lgbtqia+ middle grade emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
A Dangerous Collaberation by Deanna Raybourn

A Dangerous Collaberation

Veronica Speedwell #4

Deanna Raybourn

12 hours, 34 minutes • audio • 2019 user-added

fiction historical mystery adventurous mysterious medium-paced
Lõvi, Nõid ja riidekapp by C.S. Lewis

Lõvi, Nõid ja riidekapp

The Chronicles of Narnia (Chronological Order) #2

C.S. Lewis

163 pages • paperback • 1950

fiction childrens classics fantasy middle grade adventurous lighthearted fast-paced