Motherhood by Sheila Heti is one driven by theme (do I want to be a mother) and though I appreciated it I got tired of the redundancy by the end.
One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot is what Kiley Reid said in an interview about her book. She said that although most people claim her book lacks plot there are actually multiple *plot points.* I had never thought about the difference between a plot and a plot point so I googled it (lol) and it made me look at literary fiction books differently. I’m not so quick to say “nothing happens”
I would include In The Dream by Carmen Maria Machado in the structure driven category! I think this is my favorite category outside of character and plot driven.
Love this, Sarah and appreciate you bringing attention to the many facets that drive a book! Like you, I LOVE. a book structured around a theme with bonus points for rich character development!
I am a fan of structure driven novels, and agree with what I think you're saying-- these really work when the structure also resonates with the plot and themes in an essential and ingenious way, so it's not gimmicky at all.
Your newsletter arrived in my Inbox and I was so intrigued that I decided to visit your substack. I appreciate a good question more than answers and will continue thinking about yours. As both a writer and an avid reader, I often ask myself what drives a story. At this point, I have only working theories... but for me it is not something that leads to a singular answer and even a person who is typically drawn to character may be moved by a more plot-based book. Also, when a book is life changing, I often find that it is nonbinary and multitudinous. If I try to decide whether such a book is driven by structure, setting or theme... I discover that it is driven by all three. Character development and plot, structure and theme, everything serves a wholistic purpose. A book is good not because of what it is made of, but because of how it makes us feel. If the writer has a prescribed job, that is it: to make the reader feel something and it need not be pleasant (only intense and inescapable). “The Story of a Brief Marriage” by Anuk Arudpragasm, for example, is a harrowing yet celebratory close-up bodily experience of a single day and night. Sri Lanka in civil war, which is the setting, is as important as the protagonist's deeply personal experiences, and all of it serves profound themes about human connection and what it means to be alive.
Motherhood by Sheila Heti is one driven by theme (do I want to be a mother) and though I appreciated it I got tired of the redundancy by the end.
One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot is what Kiley Reid said in an interview about her book. She said that although most people claim her book lacks plot there are actually multiple *plot points.* I had never thought about the difference between a plot and a plot point so I googled it (lol) and it made me look at literary fiction books differently. I’m not so quick to say “nothing happens”
I'm reading Caucasia right now and it sure seems to be theme-driven, too. Can't wait to discuss!
I would include In The Dream by Carmen Maria Machado in the structure driven category! I think this is my favorite category outside of character and plot driven.
Love this, Sarah and appreciate you bringing attention to the many facets that drive a book! Like you, I LOVE. a book structured around a theme with bonus points for rich character development!
I am a fan of structure driven novels, and agree with what I think you're saying-- these really work when the structure also resonates with the plot and themes in an essential and ingenious way, so it's not gimmicky at all.
Your newsletter arrived in my Inbox and I was so intrigued that I decided to visit your substack. I appreciate a good question more than answers and will continue thinking about yours. As both a writer and an avid reader, I often ask myself what drives a story. At this point, I have only working theories... but for me it is not something that leads to a singular answer and even a person who is typically drawn to character may be moved by a more plot-based book. Also, when a book is life changing, I often find that it is nonbinary and multitudinous. If I try to decide whether such a book is driven by structure, setting or theme... I discover that it is driven by all three. Character development and plot, structure and theme, everything serves a wholistic purpose. A book is good not because of what it is made of, but because of how it makes us feel. If the writer has a prescribed job, that is it: to make the reader feel something and it need not be pleasant (only intense and inescapable). “The Story of a Brief Marriage” by Anuk Arudpragasm, for example, is a harrowing yet celebratory close-up bodily experience of a single day and night. Sri Lanka in civil war, which is the setting, is as important as the protagonist's deeply personal experiences, and all of it serves profound themes about human connection and what it means to be alive.