Single POV vs. Multi-POV: A question of taste or artistic flair?

#1
It has been a sticking point for me whenever I buy a novel. The first thing I try to find out is of the book is Multi-POV. I just plain hate Multi-POV books. It doesn't even matter if the novels are great or it's from a favorite author. I just can't bring myself to appreciate it. 

I get invested in a character in a novel pretty quickly. To suddenly yank me out of that and put me in the shoes of another character just enrages me. Sure, a few POV switches in some parts of the novel is okay but don't give me that GoT style. 

I'm perfectly okay with people enjoying those kinds of books. Heck, I'm not the one reading it. In the grand scheme of things, I could see how characters could intersect or have parallel experiences to culminate into a climax but I find it, dare I say, kind of annoying and somewhat lazy for badly written ones. I'm kind of imagining the writer just taking a couple of books and smashing them together.

With the popularization of GoT and other multi-POV books, do you find it enjoyable? Why?
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RE: Single POV vs. Multi-POV: A question of taste or artistic flair?

#2
Oh, GoT = Game of Thrones? (I'm guessing)

Ya, I'm not a huge fan with that kind of variety of characters within books. Two, maybe three different perspectives I can handle... and if it's necessary to bring in a brief fourth or fifth I'm okay with that too. Just don't keep me away from the MC or main cast too long or I get grumpy :C

Otherwise, as long as it's written in third person, I'm pretty okay with switching sometimes.

RE: Single POV vs. Multi-POV: A question of taste or artistic flair?

#3
Quote:In the grand scheme of things, I could see how characters could intersect or have parallel experiences to culminate into a climax but I find it, dare I say, kind of annoying and somewhat lazy for badly written ones. I'm kind of imagining the writer just taking a couple of books and smashing them together.

To start with, using multiple POVs is just another technique to tell a story. It depends on how well the author used it.

But I must say, it's definitely the higher tier technique compared to single POV. The risk is higher, but the potential of mind blowing is worth it too.

Er, and to enjoy multiple POVs, you have to think in the shoes of the author. What do you think us humans - readers, authors  and editors - desire the most? Destroying beautiful things of course.
To raise the attachment to many story elements then break them into each other is the joy of an author. The damage can go from comical to dead serious, but it's still there. And everyone enjoys it.

So I was saying, your not enjoying multiple POVs is that you don't want to grow attachment to a new thing in the book. This can be a tiring task, I know. But it's like a game with a high learning curve ,yet still throwing new tutorials at you once in awhile. You have to put more in to make a good experience out of it.
And the topic question, it's like asking :"Story, good plot or good writing?" Both surely.

RE: Single POV vs. Multi-POV: A question of taste or artistic flair?

#5
There is some merit in using POV. Like when the MC is out of commission, while still being in very dangerous situation. Just won't feel the same in terms of tension, if the next scene is about the MC waking up, while his friends tell him, what happened while he was out. Especially when the MC passed out as part of the climax.

Another merit is the fact, that you can give the reader a better view about what happen in the background, which might bite the characters. Good for intrigues, romances and whenever the MC just is not able to get what is going on, since he's only at the receiving end.

So I think staying in only one POV is the harder task for many stories. I prefer to mix it up a bit, focusing on one MC, but giving a look how other characters feel and think, whenever the MC is not there or when I want to give a look, how the MC acts from a third party's POV.

RE: Single POV vs. Multi-POV: A question of taste or artistic flair?

#6
I don't think single or multiple PoV is really a matter of style. Really, it depends on the story being told. You simply can't tell a complex saga with multiple things happening everywhere without switching perspectives. Likewise, randomly switching PoV when wanting in-depth immersion with one character's story would just be silly.

I do think that one of the things writing can do that other story mediums (I'm thinking mainly visual mediums like drama and film) have difficulty with is multiple perspectives, and I do enjoy seeing different characters' interpretation of the same event. However, I think 2-3 characters' perspectives is probably enough. Game of Thrones-style plots, where you need multiple volumes to cover events in the same time period, are not exactly my cup of tea, either.

RE: Single POV vs. Multi-POV: A question of taste or artistic flair?

#7
I read Brandon Sandersons novel, Way of Kings, recently. After every chapter ended, it would hop to a new PoV. I died a little bit on the inside every time and had to take a break with every chapter because I got too invested in the current character. I can't bring myself to read the second book in that series just yet. I will admit that the story probably wouldn't have been as good without the PoV switches. I guess I'll call it a necessary evil.

RE: Single POV vs. Multi-POV: A question of taste or artistic flair?

#8
I find them enjoyable because of the way the multiple points of views intersect with each other. For example, a really old japanese short story comes to mind, called "In a bamboo grove." In it, different people give varying accounts of a murder but all of them seem to contradict one another. The fascinating thing about Multi POV is that you can experience the same events in different ways and see how different people may interpret the same event in a variety of ways.
I also disagree with the idea of 'personal tastes' being predefined, because I have personally gone through way too many changes in 'personal taste' until I realized that the only reason I had these personal tastes was because I internalized my conscious thoughts on a genre based on my perception of a single book or expectations that were influenced by external factors like my peers or random reviewers. That is, I suddenly loved dystopian novels because I liked the Hunger games or I couldn't stand YA romance because I hated Twilight. Also, once I convinced myself that YA romances were terrible, that expectation became a self fulfilling prophecy that made me not like YA romances.
So what I'm trying to say is: don't go into it thinking that you won't like it and trying to get emotionally involved with one character the way you would in a single POV story, and instead enjoy the unique aspects of a multiple POV story for what they are.
Disclaimer: My story has multiple POVs but I used to hate them a couple of years ago :P
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RE: Single POV vs. Multi-POV: A question of taste or artistic flair?

#12
'Durrendal' pid='808830' dateline='1475032556' Wrote:
'ShiftyCake' pid='806829' dateline='1474841743' Wrote: Uh, I don't like destroying beautiful things...

https://viewfromtheyard.files.wordpress....george.jpg

You evil soul.
You still haven't apologised for my beautiful Arin
MALEFICENCE

If you're going to do it, then you might as well be the best at it.

That's why, everything else is cold comfort. I'll claim this unforgiving world. 

RE: Single POV vs. Multi-POV: A question of taste or artistic flair?

#14
I think POV especially whether single or multiple is a story and plot driven decision. . Can you do the story right from one PoV Or do you NEED more than one to cover the whole scope of the story. Do you choose to only tell one branch of the story, or do you want to discuss all sides, or all the sides that matter.