As writers, we explore new ways to create meaningful connections with our readers. Through creative freedom, we shape our work to engage our audience. One unique way is incorporating the audience as a character! How do you feel about the use of second-person point-of-view to include your audience?
Search
Second-Person can be such an interesting POV if done well! I've seen it used in a mystery series about profilers--there were short one page interjections throughout the book from the killer's point of view in second-person, mimicking the rhetoric the main characters used in their profiles of them. I tried my hand at it for a novella that had a similar concept. I wrote the entire thing in second-person from my villain's perspective, which left me with a pretty creepy story that forces the reader to be intimately connected to the character, even when that gets a bit disturbing.
That sounds fascinating! I can imagine that the Villain retelling his or her experience with "you" could be very chilling.
I like your question!! In the stories I've read that used second person, I really loved it. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern are two books that I think do this really well! Both use third person omniscient narrators and use second person in certain segments of the book. I think it worked so well! Especially with The Night Circus, there are really cool parts where the narrator takes you, the reader, through different parts of the circus with second person.
The Book Thief has been on my "to read" list for awhile! I did not know the author used second-person in that--another reason to check it out, I guess :)
I'm a fan of second person perspective! I've read a few books told from that POV (most notable Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, as Alexceunna mentioned), and I honestly wish this perspective was more popular. I don't know what's so compelling about it, but i just find it so fascinating.
I find it so fascinating too! Also intimidating... I am always worried that my reader would misunderstand my tone so I normally throw in the towel pretty early.