I’ve just finished reading Plan Your Attack, the second book in a series by Sarah Rodriguez Pratt (I reviewed Choose Your Weapon last year). I don’t typically review entire series, but I’m making an exception because I just have to know: does third person present tense drive anyone else as crazy as it drives me?
For those who get this kind of thing mixed up (like me), here’s a sample of what I’m talking about (from Pratt’s novel):
Helen quickly locates her new locker. Thankfully, it’s clean, unlike the gum-encrusted locker she had her freshman year. She pulls a notebook out of her backpack and deposits the rest of her belongings into the lockers, sliding her old padlock over the latch and shutting it with a familiar click.
While I enjoy Pratt’s storytelling, I can’t like the way she’s chosen to storytell. Third person present tense has a “bad fanfiction” kind of feel to me, and I think that does a disservice to Pratt’s story and her characters.
I’d love to get other people’s thoughts on this. What do you think of third person present tense? Is there a writing style that you dislike? Let’s talk this out!
I don’t know if it bugs me or not, so I guess not lol. But I don’t recall reading a book written that way so after 100 pages maybe it would get on my nerves.
It’s not a very common writing style. I’m not sure why the author chose it.