I’ll keep tugging little by little, and like the boats that coaxed the Titanic to sea, eventually I’ll get Jamie to budge. One of my favorite lines in the novel encapsulates Valora’s intent using a delightful ship-related metaphor: (In fact, historians have noted that the Chief Designer of the Titanic observed Halley’s comet during a visit to the Titanic while it was still under construction.) Whether readers know the information behind the metaphor, they will understand how Valora’s use of the metaphor emphasizes her clear goal and her determination. In the early 1900s, many people still saw comets as harbingers of disaster. Lee’s decision to use Halley’s comet both to establish the timing of Jamie’s departure and as a metaphor for him is a clever one. Since he hasn’t come home, it is time to chase down the comet’s tail. But two years away is more than enough time to clear his head, even in the coal-thickened air at the bottom of a steamship. Only a week before Halley’s Comet brushed the London skies, he kissed my cheek and set off. When my twin, Jaimie left, he vowed it wouldn’t be forever. In the opening paragraph, Valora introduces herself and her intent to chase down her brother, Jamie, thus establishing herself as highly determined. Developing Character: What Drives the Protagonist The protagonist Valora Luck’s name shows us who she is, reinforcing that she will show valor (great courage in the face of danger) and either be supported by good luck or thwarted by bad luck.
It’s all about elevating your prose to do more than just tell the reader what’s happening.Īnd from the very beginning, we see how Lee leverages specific language to develop character.
However, you can use these techniques with third-person and even with omniscient narration. Reading her novels is a masterclass in how to do first-person narration well. Since Lee uses first-person point of view to tell her stories, it’s her main character’s voice that’s in the driver’s seat.
Her prose always serves the story. (See our interview with Stacey Lee.) She doesn’t just write pretty sentences (though they are very pretty). One of the things I admire most about Lee’s storytelling is her intentionality when it comes to the language she uses. Her latest novel, Luck of the Titanic, is inspired by the eight Chinese men who were on that ill-fated voyage. Author Stacey Lee knows better than most how to delight her legion of fans with historical YAs that shine a light on people in history who have often lived in the shadows.
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