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6. The Writing Style
The book uses a first-person perspective, and also deploys a number of other strategies to get you to accept that Peter Grant is a real person who you might have already met at the pub or supermarket. For example, there is the frequent use of well-known fictional books and films to establish familiar links - in a fairly short section I spotted the X-Files, Star Wars and the Godfather, and there are many others. Peter is basically saying, "look, I'm your mate and we have probably watched the same Netflix series".
Did this work for you? Did he seem a believable next-door neighbour?
Comments
Yes, I like the narration and the writing. I even chuckled at the Doctor Who references, some of which I got before he said 'that was a doctor who reference'. So yes, that worked for me. I found it much easier to relate to Grant than, say, to Essun or Syenite in the Broken Earth.
I also liked the writing style and how Grant seemed to be a contemporary person. He came across as a person you'd probably like to have as a friend. I think that was deliberate.
One thing I've heard is that first-person narrators shouldn't have strong personalities, as that interferes with reader identification with them. Do people think Grant has a strong personality? Or is he like a horoscope personality, where everyone can identify with something good or aspirational in him?
That's a really interesting point. I'd say that Grant has a definite personality, but not strong in the sense of dominant or abrasive.
Very true. I think the only time he really takes initiative is when he realises there's a mole in his investigating team. His handling of the conflict between the Thameses happens mostly off-screen.
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> Very true. I think the only time he really takes initiative is when he realises there's a mole in his investigating team. His handling of the conflict between the Thameses happens mostly off-screen.
It would be interesting to see if he steadily increases in initiative and such like as the series progresses
I think Grant has a definite personality - he's curious, analytical, geeky, affable, and a little sex obsessed. But most of these characteristics make him ideal as narrator.
I'm not 100% sure he's completely convincing as a young person, in the sense that there are few modern references, but plenty for this middle aged reader to recognise. But that's a minor quibble.
The perfect narrator for me, but then I am far from young. Probably grandfatherish to some young Brit geek.