The author sometimes has a character tell their own story, and sometimes that person relays something they’re observing about others in the group. How did you feel about this narrative technique? Did you find it effective?
I tend to find this technique annoying because it can make the story feel erratic and the character(s) disjointed, but that was not the case in The Seven O’Clock Club. There were only five main characters in this story and perhaps it worked as well as it did because the observations were always in the very next chapter and related to what was just shared in the preceding chapter.
I found this technique a great way to see the characters in 360 degrees.
I thought it was good and it gave some of the characters a reason to feel connected to someone else in the group. They started really caring for one another unlike in the beginning when they were all strangers.
I thought the author handled this exceptionally well. It allowed an in-depth view of each of the characters that I thought was particularly effective.
I liked hearing the character’s telling their own story with the added benefit of hearing the views/opinions/observations of other members of the group about a fellow member. I think Paula Walters’ reply was spot on about this technique lending to the characters’ development of connections to other memers and caring about each other.
It can be useful if it is a constructive insight.