Recommended novels using 1st Person

[Marcus]

Which YA novels would you recommend which are written well in first person?

 

After much resistance, within myself, I tried rewriting the beginning of my WIP in 1st person. Surprise, it may clear the plot-related obstacles I had been grappling with for months. The second issue was believability. Third person made the magical realism parts appear contrived at times, although I had wanted third person for the distance and dream-like quality it gave. Well, can't have it both ways.

 

Big bonus was, my MC made a huge jump in finding their voice by writing only a few pages in first person, quite amazing.

 

I'd like to look at some really good examples of 1st person for that reason.

Many Thanks for your suggestions.

 

Marcus

 

[Susan Kaye Quinn]

Of course Hunger Games. Also Forest of Hands and Teeth. (These both also use present tense.) And fantastic voice: White Cat (Holly Black's sequel Red Glove is coming out April 1st!).

[Nikki Katz]

I agree with Susan on all 3 novels! 

 

For humor: Paranormalcy

For immediacy: Hunger Games trilogy and Forest of Hands and Teeth

For dual POV in 1st Person: Blood Magic and the Shiver series

For amazing voice and setting: Like Mandarin

[Marcus]

Thanks Susan, I'd been wondering whether Hunger Games was a candidate. Well, my TBR list is about to grow.

Susan Kaye Quinn said:

Of course Hunger Games. Also Forest of Hands and Teeth. (These both also use present tense.) And fantastic voice: White Cat (Holly Black's sequel Red Glove is coming out April 1st!).

[Tabitha Olson]

There are lots of great books written in first person. Here's a list just off the top of my head:

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathon Stroud (particularly the djinn, Bartimaeus)

Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have by Allen Zadoff

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

Feed by MT Anderson

 

Hope this helps! If I think of more, I'll add to the list. :)

 

Tabitha

[Marcus]

Hi Nikki, could you tell me a bit more about how they use dual POV in 1st Person?

I would like to give other characters like the love interest a voice, is that what you mean?

 

 

Nikki Katz said:

For dual POV in 1st Person: Blood Magic and the Shiver series

 

[Nikki Katz]

Marcus - with the two examples I've given there are either separate chapters or separate headings that denote who the 1st Person POV is.  It is literally split up almost 50/50 through the book - alternating typically between two main characters (although Linger does it successfully with 4 characters).  The key here is to have a very distinct voice - so a reader knows who is speaking in 1st person without even having to read the header/chapter.

Marcus said:

Hi Nikki, could you tell me a bit more about how they use dual POV in 1st Person?

I would like to give other characters like the love interest a voice, is that what you mean?

 

 

Nikki Katz said:

For dual POV in 1st Person: Blood Magic and the Shiver series

 

[Tabitha Olson]

Across The Universe by Beth Revis is another book that does well with two 1st person POVs.

 

Here's a few more I thought of:

The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp

Skin Hunger and Sacred Scars by Kathleen Duey (also two POVs, though one is 1st and the other is 3rd)

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (the sequel comes out this summer)

Inexcusable by Chris Lynch (an excellent example of an unreliable narrator)

The Diary Queen trilogy by Catherine Murdock

The Gallagher Girls books by Ally Carter

 

Tabitha

[Alysia Mathews Broadfield]

Simone Elkeles does a great job with the alternating first person POVs.

[Marcus]

Thanks Alysia, any title in particular? I've had Leaving Paradise on my list for a while, but not got around to it yet.

Alysia Mathews Broadfield said:

Simone Elkeles does a great job with the alternating first person POVs.

[Alysia Mathews Broadfield]

I like all of her books, but Perfect Chemistry is my favorite-it's a bit grittier than the others. The sequel, Rules of Attraction, is also good and was just nominated for a RITA today (I believe Perfect Chemistry won a RITA a few years ago). I liked Leaving Paradise and Return to Paradise, but I thought the characters were stronger in the Perfect Chemistry series.

Marcus said:

Thanks Alysia, any title in particular? I've had Leaving Paradise on my list for a while, but not got around to it yet.

Alysia Mathews Broadfield said:

Simone Elkeles does a great job with the alternating first person POVs.

[Karen Scott]

You might try Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn. Great multiple POV, both told from first person. LOVED this story!!

[Marcus]

Many Thanks Karen, I hadn't heard of Dash and Lily's Book of Dares (but of the Infinite Playlist). This also sounds like my kind of story. I'll definitely check this one out.

 

One thing I'm pleased about is that various forms of narration are now accepted in YA. A few years ago I was told constantly you can't do this and can't do that, unless you're an established author. Now it's opened up, thank goodness.