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
Play by Kylie Scott

Play

Stage Dive #2

Kylie Scott

8 hours, 48 minutes • audio • 2014

fiction contemporary romance emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced
Indexing by Seanan McGuire

Indexing

Indexing #1

Seanan McGuire

404 pages • digital • 2013

fiction fantasy adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced
The Body by Stephen King

The Body

Stephen King

192 pages • paperback • 1982

fiction thriller emotional medium-paced
The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman

The Gate of the Feral Gods

Dungeon Crawler Carl #4

Matt Dinniman

589 pages • hardcover • 2021

fiction fantasy science fiction adventurous funny medium-paced
The Year's Best African Speculative Fiction by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki

The Year's Best African Speculative Fiction

Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki

358 pages • digital • 2021

fiction fantasy short stories speculative fiction adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
Dunia Sophie: Novel Grafis Filsafat by Vincent Zabus, Nicoby, Jostein Gaarder

Dunia Sophie: Novel Grafis Filsafat

Vincent Zabus, Nicoby, Jostein Gaarder

264 pages • paperback

nonfiction graphic novel philosophy emotional informative sad medium-paced
Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher

Hemlock & Silver

T. Kingfisher

359 pages • digital • 2025

fiction fantasy adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced
All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

All Boys Aren't Blue

George M. Johnson

313 pages • hardcover • 2020

nonfiction lgbtqia+ memoir race young adult emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
Slayers: A Buffyverse Story by Amber Benson, Christopher Golden

Slayers: A Buffyverse Story

Amber Benson, Christopher Golden

8 hours, 2 minutes • audio • 2023

fiction fantasy adventurous funny medium-paced
Happy Old Me: How to Live A Long Life, and Really Enjoy It by Hunter Davies

Happy Old Me: How to Live A Long Life, and Really Enjoy It

Hunter Davies

304 pages • 2019

emotional reflective medium-paced