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52 Book Club: 2024 Reading Challenge - hosted by anamarquina

An omniscient narrator
What is an omniscient narrator? Omniscient means “all-knowing.” Omniscient narrators know what is happening at all times throughout the book. They know the thoughts, feelings, and backstories of all the characters (or a specific character or character group for limited omniscient.) Usually, omniscient narrators are written in third person (he/she/they/them) but there are a few exceptions to this. (For example, The Book Thief, which is narrated by death.)

A few tips for working out whether or not you have an omniscient narrator:

– Does the voice remain the same throughout the novel? You may explore the perspectives of multiple characters, but the narrator’s voice should use the same language and tone while exploring the story with each character.

– Whose perspectives do we see? Books with omniscient narrators often have multiple, varied perspectives. You may see the thoughts or feelings from multiple characters, even in the same scene.

– Is the narrator all-knowing? Is there anything in the book that the narrator doesn’t know? Does the narrator provide details about what’s happened in the past and what’s currently happening? Are we being told things that the characters couldn’t or wouldn’t know? For example: You may see sentences like: “Little did he know, the killer was already waiting for him…”

– Web search! When in doubt, a quick web search with the book title “+ narration style” may help clarify whether or not you have an omniscient narrator.

Examples: The Lord of the Flies, Beloved, Middlemarch, Where the Crawdads Sing, Everything I Never Told You, Dune
Goodreads List: An omniscient narrator
All books added
The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

The Heiress

Rachel Hawkins

294 pages • hardcover • 2024

fiction thriller dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett

Unlikely Animals

Annie Hartnett

349 pages • hardcover • 2022

fiction contemporary literary magical realism emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
The Chain by Adrian McKinty

The Chain

Adrian McKinty

357 pages • hardcover • 2019

fiction crime mystery thriller dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Anxious People

Fredrik Backman

341 pages • hardcover • 2019

fiction contemporary literary mystery emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

The House in the Cerulean Sea

Cerulean Chronicles #1

TJ Klune

398 pages • digital • 2020

fiction fantasy lgbtqia+ emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

Tress of the Emerald Sea

Secret Projects #1

Brandon Sanderson

369 pages • hardcover • 2023

fiction fantasy adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
Beartown by Fredrik Backman

Beartown

Beartown #1

Fredrik Backman

484 pages • paperback • 2016 user-added

fiction contemporary literary emotional reflective sad medium-paced
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Lessons in Chemistry

Bonnie Garmus

400 pages • hardcover • 2022

fiction historical literary emotional funny inspiring medium-paced
The Godfather by Mario Puzo

The Godfather

The Godfather #1

Mario Puzo

595 pages • paperback • 1969 user-added

fiction classics crime thriller dark tense medium-paced
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter

Carson McCullers

359 pages • paperback • 1940

fiction classics literary emotional reflective sad slow-paced