Which books are told in the most interesting / creative/ mind bending ways? How does it add to the book overall?

My all time favourite is Ella Minnow Pea where the book is a series of letters. The characters have to think of more inventive ways to write their letters as an increasing number of letters are outlawed as the book progresses.

Honourable mentions include:

Maribou Stork Nightmares where the narrator is trying to suppress his dark past by allowing himself to slip into hallucinations of a whacky south African safari adventure.

Flowers for Algernon where the narrator becomes more articulate by taking part in a scientific experiment.

  • FertyMerty@alien.topB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    Your comment about Flowers for Algernon reminds me of The Color Purple, where you can tell the impact of her learning to read as the story goes.

    • 3mothsinatrenchcoat@alien.topB
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      10 months ago

      I thought Flowers For Algernon was really interesting, in part because the writing style reminded me of my experience learning a second language as a kid/teen and then forgetting it as an adult. Its really surreal to be so aware of what you used to know/used to not know - I’ve gotta check out The Color Purple, it sounds like it would have some similarities.

    • thebowedbookshelf@alien.topB
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      10 months ago

      A middle grade book I loved when I was a kid: The Music of Dolphins by Karen Hesse has the same thing. A girl abandoned and lived with dolphins is found and learned language.