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
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

A Tempest of Tea

Blood and Tea #1

Hafsah Faizal

335 pages • hardcover • 2024

fiction fantasy young adult adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown

The Wild Robot Protects

The Wild Robot #3

Peter Brown

281 pages • hardcover • 2023

fiction middle grade science fiction adventurous hopeful inspiring fast-paced
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder

David Grann

329 pages • hardcover • 2023

nonfiction history true crime adventurous dark informative medium-paced
Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie

Dumb Witness

Hercule Poirot #17

Agatha Christie

336 pages • paperback • 1937

fiction classics crime mystery mysterious medium-paced
Summer on Sag Harbor by Sunny Hostin

Summer on Sag Harbor

Summer Beach #2

Sunny Hostin

408 pages • hardcover • 2023

fiction contemporary emotional reflective medium-paced
Summer on Highland Beach by Sunny Hostin

Summer on Highland Beach

Summer Beach #3

Sunny Hostin

336 pages • hardcover • 2024

fiction contemporary emotional mysterious medium-paced
The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie

The Mystery of the Blue Train

Hercule Poirot #6

Agatha Christie

317 pages • hardcover • 1928

fiction classics crime mystery mysterious medium-paced
The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess by Tom Gauld

The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess

Tom Gauld

40 pages • digital • 2021

fiction childrens fantasy adventurous lighthearted medium-paced
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #2

Douglas Adams

256 pages • paperback • 1980

fiction science fiction adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest

The Neighbor Favor

Greene Sisters #1

Kristina Forest

10 hours, 7 minutes • audio • 2023

fiction contemporary romance emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced