Happy Friday, Bookworms!
It’s been a while since I made a list (like, a week or two? Too long, certainly.) I ran across this fantastic post on Book Riot recently. Then I came across this one on The Huffington Post. They are both about how cool it would be to read a book from another character’s perspective, and it’s got my listy juices flowing. Here are some of the books I’d like to read from another character’s perspective (and yeah, I made up titles for them. Because why not?)
1. The Cleverest Witch of Her Age- You guessed right. I’m talking about the Harry Potter 
series from Hermione Granger’s perspective. The HP books are so great and iconic that they could be amazing from any number of characters’ points of view, but Hermione holds a special place in my heart. Maybe if JK Rowling gets tired of being Robert Galbraith, she’ll consider it? A girl can dream.
2. Raising O’Hara- There was a point in The Help
where one of the characters mentions that nobody asked how Mammy felt about things in Gone with the Wind
. I think that would be a fascinating twist! Mammy, the O’Hara’s house slave getting a turn to talk about Scarlett’s doings? How DID she feel about sewing the curtains into a man-catching dress? It could be phenomenal.
3. Toby + Finn: A Love Story: I’d loooove to read Tell the Wolves I’m Home
from Toby’s perspective. Finn and Toby’s journey together, his feelings of being kept away from Finn’s family, his heartbreak over losing Finn… TOBY. Oh man. I’d love that.
Somebody write these? Please? (Source)
4. Lowood- Helen Burns was one of my favorite characters in Jane Eyre
. I’d like to get an outsider’s perspective on Jane, and who better than her BFF to tell the tale? Of course, she’d only be able to tell a portion of the story, but I think it would rock pretty hard. Plus, who’s to rule out narration from another realm of existence? It’s been done.
5. Serena’s Gildead: The Handmaid’s Tale
is one of THE BEST BOOKS EVER. Offred is stuck in this theocratic society where she’s used as breeding stock to produce children for worthy men’s families. Fred, her, uh, husband guy? Had a REAL wife named Serena Joy, a former televangelist who was none too thrilled with the whole handmaid situation. I want to get an idea of what this society was like from a “priviliged” woman’s point of view. I want to know how her views on religion changed (or didn’t) with the rise of the theocracy. I don’t think Serena Joy got to read either.
What about you, Bookworms? Is there a secondary character’s perspective you’d love to get out of a favorite book?
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Akilah
Love it. I may have to address this one on my blog because I have many, many thoughts.
Words For Worms
It’s really so much fun!
Amy
Tell the Wolvss I’m Home from Toby’s perspective! The idea of this just gives me a lot of feelings
Words For Worms
I know, right?! Toby. Sigh.
Rory
I am all for another perspective in Jane Eyre. I always felt Helen was good for Jane’s temper.
Have you ever read Wide Sargasso Sea?
Words For Worms
I have not read Wide Sargasso Sea, but knowing of its existence I deliberately did not choose the Mad Wife in the Attic as my other perspective. Did you like it? I’ve heard mixed reviews on Wide Sargasso Sea.
Rory
The writing was lovely, but I did not care for the story. I just have a hard to viewing Bertha/Antoinette as sympathetic.
Megan M.
Great list! I’d love to read Hermione’s perspective as well. I just finished reading “The Cuckoo’s Calling” last night, and it was really very good. J.K. Rowling can do no wrong in my eyes.
Words For Worms
I haven’t read The Cuckoo’s Calling, but JK basically has a pass to do whatever she wants for all time as far as I’m concerned.
Charleen
I love your Hermione idea (and the title is awesome), but personally I’d be more interested in the series from Neville’s point of view. The whole “there but for the grace of God go I” angle really intrigues me, even if he never finds out that it could have been him Voldemort went after.
Words For Worms
That’s a really good choice. Neville could have so much depth and because he wasn’t always there when the standard HP action was going down, it would be a whole different story.
Megan M.
I thought of Neville too! 🙂
kristinshafel
That is an awesome point about Serena Joy in The Handmaid’s Tale. I really need to reread that one anyway!
Words For Worms
It’s so awesome!
April @ The Steadfast Reader
I would love to wring more life out of The Handmaid’s Tale. Incidentally, I’m also reading an ARC called Hyde. I’m maybe a quarter of the way through and Edward Hyde is really quite sympathetic. It’s good.
Also yes, Mammy, she put up with so much sass from Scarlett, I’d love to see her inner dialogue.
Words For Worms
I’ll look forward to your review of Hyde!
Andi (@estellasrevenge)
AWESOME list!
Words For Worms
Thanks dearie 🙂
Elizabeth
Oh man I so want that retelling of Handmaid’s Tale. Like right now. This instance. THIS NEEDS TO BE IN EXISTENCE.
Words For Worms
Shall we lobby Atwood?
Allison @ The Book Wheel
WOW! I totally want to read Harry Potter from Hermoine’s perspective. I think we should lobby Rowling for that….
Words For Worms
Yes! Letter writing campaign!
Rhian
You might enjoy Longbourn by Jo Baker which is (sort of) Pride and Prejudice from the servants’ POV. I say sort of because while it happens in parallel with P&P and contains some of the events in P&P, it’s really the servants’ story.
I think it loses it’s way in parts toward the end, but I found it an easy read.
Words For Worms
I have heard great things about Longbourn!
Emily
I recently had a conversation with someone about the different perspectives from Gone With the Wind. She mentioned that a fan fiction book had either been written, or was in the process of being written from Mammy’s perspective. Granted, it wouldn’t come from Mitchell but it may actually exist! Great list!
Lillian
I would love to read all of these books. I always think about books where there are mean people or “bad” guys and I’d like to hear their side of things because humans have a way of twisting stories so they look go in any given situation.
Shannon @ River City Reading
Oh my gosh, I love the thought of Raising O’Hara! Why has no one done that!?!