What do you think of the author’s choice to use first-person narration, setting the plot entirely from Olivia’s perspective? What might have been different if it had included other perspectives, or if the novel had been written in the third person?

BookBrowse Book Club The World's Greatest Detective & Her Just OK Asst
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What do you think of the author’s choice to use first-person narration, and to set the plot entirely from Olivia’s point of view? How might the book have been different if it had included Merritt’s perspective, or if the novel had been written in the third person?

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I think it was a good idea to give Olivia the narration. The title supports that - she’s just okay - and I think the author wanted the reader to decide if she was just okay. If Merritt had narrated it, I think some of the humor in the book would have been lost. Ditto to 3rd person narration. This seemed to me to be a character driven book so a character should narrate it.

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The first person narrative from Olivia’s Point of View was good for world building and setting up the series but I do think the story could benefit from Merritt’s point of view as well and hope as the series goes along the authors includes it.

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I liked that Olivia had the narrative for the story.

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I hope there is a sequel for this story. I want to know more about Merritt. In the story, why didn’t she answer her phone when Olivia needed to get in touch with her? What about the phone call she got and went into another room to talk? The book left out many details about Merritt. I wanted to know more about her.

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I’ve been thinking about this question and go back and forth on my opinion. I did enjoy having the story told by Olivia, the “just okay assistant”. But I also kept wishing that I knew more about what Merrit was thinking. That probably would have increased my interest throughout the story. I would not have wanted it written in the third person.

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I liked her choice because I really liked Olivia. I read for character and she was delightful. I was hooked by the first page. A wonderful book!

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I thought that having Olivia as the narrator was very clever. The author could only tell us what Olvia saw and her opinions. it kept us in the dark as to what Merritt was thinking along the way.

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I always like the first person narrative because then I know at least one person I might get attached to won’t die!!

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I liked the first person narration, because I enjoyed Olivia. And I was glad that the author chose not to use multiple narrators, a technique I find increasingly annoying the more I read books in which it is used.

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I think this would have been a completely different story from Merritt’s point of view, and probably not as entertaining. The story told by Olivia was perfect!

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I think it added suspense to the story that would have been missing if Merritt was the narrator. Because Olivia frequently missed, misinterpreted, or glossed over clues, there is much more uncertainty to the plot which is good for a mystery novel.

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I enjoyed reading the story from Olivia POV as we could see her growing into her new role. I think it also would’ve worked from the third person POV, but I don’t think it would’ve worked out as good from another person’s POV - it would’ve been a completely different story at that point.

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I both liked and did not like the narrator choice. I do not like an unreliabhle narrator. My first thoungt ws that this was that kind of book.

But I think having Oliva write it was fun. I would love to be trained as a detective. I would be Olivia if I could