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
Il re malvagio by Holly Black

Il re malvagio

The Folk of the Air #2

Holly Black

276 pages • hardcover • 2019

fiction fantasy young adult adventurous dark tense medium-paced
Perché il re degli elfi odiava le storie by Holly Black

Perché il re degli elfi odiava le storie

The Folk of the Air #3.5

Holly Black

192 pages • hardcover • 2020

fiction fantasy short stories young adult adventurous fast-paced
Lovely War by Julie Berry

Lovely War

Julie Berry

12 hours, 59 minutes • audio • 2019

fiction fantasy historical romance young adult emotional hopeful sad medium-paced
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

Murder by Memory

Dorothy Gentleman #1

Olivia Waite

2 hours, 21 minutes • audio • 2025

fiction lgbtqia+ mystery science fiction lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
Infected by Scott Sigler

Infected

Infected #1

Scott Sigler

11 hours, 24 minutes • audio • 2008 user-added

fiction horror science fiction thriller dark tense fast-paced
Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult

Leaving Time

Leaving Time #1

Jodi Picoult

405 pages • hardcover • 2014

fiction contemporary literary mysterious medium-paced
People Like Us by Jason Mott

People Like Us

Jason Mott

9 hours, 25 minutes • audio • 2025 user-added

fiction literary emotional funny reflective medium-paced
Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! by Sarah Kendzior, Andrea Chalupa

Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think!

Sarah Kendzior, Andrea Chalupa

304 pages • hardcover • 2023

nonfiction comics politics dark informative reflective fast-paced
The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman

The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook

Dungeon Crawler Carl #3

Matt Dinniman

16 hours, 54 minutes • audio • 2021

fiction fantasy science fiction adventurous dark funny fast-paced
Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland by Martha Barnette

Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland

Martha Barnette

321 pages • digital • 2025

nonfiction