Follow Friday

Friday Follow is a blog hop that was started by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  Each week a different question is posted by our hosts and we wil answer!  This is a great opportunity for bloggers to network and interact. 

This week’s question – 

What writing device or trick most irritates you when reading a book? For example, if an author employs an omnipotent narrator that is sometimes considered bad form

OK, there are a few things that irritate me when reading a book.  I am not a writer (obviously) so I'm not sure if there are device terms for what I'm about to mention.

First of all, I do not like pop references that can date a book.  For instance, it is 2012 and the author makes reference to Prince Harry's semi-naked pictures from Vegas OR there are constantly quotes from a current popular song.  I think it is best for an author to keep a storyline fresh and create a timeline with their own events.

Something else that irritates me when reading a book are names that character names which are too similar or hard to remember.  Theoden of Thalen thought Princess Thola...blah blah blah blah.  That is a sure way to get me to stop reading after the first 10 pages. 

Sometimes I find it difficult to follow books where the plot flips back and forth between two timelines.  It has to be an incredibly entertaining read to keep me going when I'm reading about the past and then the present and then the future all within a few hundred pages.

Lastly, point of view.  If an author has two points of view in the same book and the narrator changes each chapter, I can handle that.  Once there are more than 3 narrators, this drives me a little batty.  Sure, you can change the font for each chapter but for some readers, it's just plain cruel.  Case in point - The Rise of Nine by Pitticus Lore.  I enjoyed it but it drove me crazy.  Enjoy your weekend and read lots my bookie friends!

- Christinabean

Just to add my 2 cents worth here, none of the above really bother me, but I absolutely hate it when a chapter is only a couple of pages long.  A lot of white space on page after page is enough to make me close a book fairly quickly.  I know it is supposed to indicate things happening at a rapid pace, but it just breaks up the narrative for me and I can't stand it. Have a great weekend all.

Curlypow

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