Story Time!: 9 Books That Feature a Story Within a Story

December 28 2016
Share Story Time!: 9 Books That Feature a Story Within a Story

The act of storytelling has been used as an engaging plot device throughout literary history. Just think of THE ODYSSEY and THE CANTERBURY TALES. The inventive result is what is known as a framed narrative. Below are some brilliant examples of framed narratives—stories relayed from one character to another within the novel—that are perfect for you to sink your teeth into.

Foe
by J. M. Coetzee

A woman approaches Daniel Foe, a trader and writer, and claims to have been a castaway on a deserted island. She tells her story, and that of her rescuer, Cruso, and his manservant, Friday. This smart retelling of ROBINSON CRUSOE illustrates the power of storytelling and the various ways people can perceive the truth.

Amazon logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo
Foe
J. M. Coetzee

A woman approaches Daniel Foe, a trader and writer, and claims to have been a castaway on a deserted island. She tells her story, and that of her rescuer, Cruso, and his manservant, Friday. This smart retelling of ROBINSON CRUSOE illustrates the power of storytelling and the various ways people can perceive the truth.

Amazon logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo

MENTIONED IN:

Waiting in the Wings: 11 Famous Stories Told from Another Point of View

By Julianna Haubner | August 17, 2017

Story Time!: 9 Books That Feature a Story Within a Story

By Kerry Fiallo | December 28, 2016

Close
The Princess Bride
by William Goldman

The pop-culture classic that spawned one of the most beloved films of the 1980s was inspired by an equally charming and hilarious book. The novel is presented as an abridged version of a tale by the fictional S. Morgenstern, whose colorful commentary is sprinkled throughout this fantastical romance.

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo
The Princess Bride
William Goldman

If Your Favorite Character is Dustin Henderson

In the mind of “Toothless,” his best friend didn’t almost die. His comrade was captured by a monster, thus his band of merry adventurers went on a quest to rescue him. For more eccentric goofballs in perilous situations, try the book that preceded the classic movie “The Princess Bride.”

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo

MENTIONED IN:

Book Soulmates: 6 Stories That Reached Us On a Whole Other Level

By Off the Shelf Staff | May 13, 2021

Bookish Treasure: 9 Hidden Gems We Proudly Display on Our Shelves

By Off the Shelf Staff | November 17, 2020

12 Totally Rad Reads That Will Stoke Your 80s Nostalgia

By Off the Shelf Staff | August 27, 2019

14 Books You Wish You Could Read for the First Time Again

By Off the Shelf Staff | July 31, 2019

In Memoriam: 16 Authors We Lost Too Soon in 2018

By Sarah Jane Abbott | December 28, 2018

11 Books You Should Read Based On Your Favorite “Stranger Things” Character

By Glommable | May 29, 2017

Close
The Name of the Wind
by Patrick Rothfuss

A stunning and vivid fantasy novel, THE NAME OF THE WIND features an infamous and powerful magician recounting his life story to a scribe. The first in a trilogy, this riveting tale features murder, a school of magic, and plenty of danger—perfect for adult readers looking to satisfy that Harry Potter itch.

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo
The Name of the Wind
Patrick Rothfuss

A stunning and vivid fantasy novel, THE NAME OF THE WIND features an infamous and powerful magician recounting his life story to a scribe. The first in a trilogy, this riveting tale features murder, a school of magic, and plenty of danger—perfect for adult readers looking to satisfy that Harry Potter itch.

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo

MENTIONED IN:

Story Time!: 9 Books That Feature a Story Within a Story

By Kerry Fiallo | December 28, 2016

Close
The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall
by Anne Brontë

The often-overlooked Brontë sister, Anne, crafted the first true feminist novel with this unflinching look at marriage, alcoholism, and lost love. Through letters, a farmer recounts the appearance of a mysterious widow and her young son in a nearby estate. Where did she come from and what is she hiding? More important, what is she hiding from?

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo
The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall
Anne Brontë

The often-overlooked Brontë sister, Anne, crafted the first true feminist novel with this unflinching look at marriage, alcoholism, and lost love. Through letters, a farmer recounts the appearance of a mysterious widow and her young son in a nearby estate. Where did she come from and what is she hiding? More important, what is she hiding from?

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo

MENTIONED IN:

Story Time!: 9 Books That Feature a Story Within a Story

By Kerry Fiallo | December 28, 2016

Close
The House at Riverton
by Kate Morton

An elderly woman tells a filmmaker about her youth spent as a servant for an aristocratic family. Her story focuses on a mysterious death that occurred during a glitzy party—a death she happens to know the truth about. In the same haunting vein of Daphne du Maurier, Kate Morton crafts a passionate, page-turning mystery.

Amazon logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo Kobo logo Kindle logo Bookshop logo
The House at Riverton
Kate Morton

Set in interwar Britain, this gorgeous debut novel is the story of a decades-old suicide at an aristocratic manor home, relived through the eyes of the ninety-eight-year-old former housemaid. In a classic case of the servant knowing all, her memories of that long-ago night are the key to shocking secrets and heartbreaking truths.

Amazon logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo Kobo logo Kindle logo Bookshop logo

MENTIONED IN:

10 Wistful Books to Fit Your Coastal Aesthetic This Summer

By Alice Martin | April 19, 2023

The 10 Most Popular Books of March

By Off the Shelf Staff | March 31, 2022

March eBook Deals: 10 Gripping Reads to Add to Your Digital Library

By Off the Shelf Staff | March 2, 2022

10 Enchanting Books Crackling with Autumnal Energy

By Maddie Nelson | September 1, 2021

The Downton Abbey TBR: 11 Novels for Aspiring Aristocrats

By Alexandra Carley | September 9, 2019

10 Literary Houses That Host Family Stories and Buried Secrets

By Elizabeth Breeden | January 13, 2017

Close
Charming Billy
by Alice McDermott

Billy Lynch’s loved ones gather after his passing to reflect on his life, creating a portrait of a complex, funny, and enigmatic man. A moving, gorgeously wrought depiction of lost love, loyalty, alcoholism, and the strength of family, CHARMING BILLY is one of the most cherished depictions of the Irish Catholic community in New York.

Read the full review of CHARMING BILLY.

Amazon logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo
Charming Billy
Alice McDermott

In an equally heartwarming and heartbreaking episode, John’s horologist friends share their memories of him with host Brian even though they weren’t invited to his funeral. In a similar fashion, Billy Lynch’s friends and family gather to pay their respects in Alice McDermott’s striking novel. CHARMING BILLY is a study of the lies that bind and the weight of familial love, of the way good intentions can be as destructive as the truth they were meant to hide.

Read a review of CHARMING BILLY here.

Amazon logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo

MENTIONED IN:

A Definitive Reading List for Fans of the S-Town Podcast

By Off the Shelf Staff | May 4, 2017

Story Time!: 9 Books That Feature a Story Within a Story

By Kerry Fiallo | December 28, 2016

How Will Your Loved Ones Remember You?

By Ariel S. Winter | July 25, 2016

Close
The Turn of the Screw
by Henry James

The best ghost stories are the ones told directly to you, and no other story captures that chilling experience like THE TURN OF THE SCREW. On Christmas Eve, a group of friends are told the tale of a Victorian governess and two odd, precocious children. Were the children possessed by sinful ghosts? Was the governess mad? Or is something even darker occurring?

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo
The Turn of the Screw
Henry James

One of literature's most gripping ghost stories depicts the sinister transformation of 2 innocent children into flagrant liars and hypocrites. Elegantly told tale of unspoken horror and psychological terror creates what few stories in literature have been able to do -- a complete feeling of dread and uncertainty.

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo

MENTIONED IN:

12 Haunted Settings to Spook Any Reader

By Kerry Fiallo | September 20, 2022

Our 13 Favorite Ghost Stories—Just in Time for Halloween!

By Off the Shelf Staff | October 26, 2017

Story Time!: 9 Books That Feature a Story Within a Story

By Kerry Fiallo | December 28, 2016

Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Wharton and Wolfe: 10 Classics You Should Never Live Without

By Off the Shelf Staff | November 20, 2014

13 Most Terrifying Books of All Time

By Off the Shelf Staff | October 31, 2014

Close
Mason & Dixon
by Thomas Pynchon

One cold night, a clergyman entertains his family with tales of working with Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon (of the Mason–Dixon line fame). What follows is a complicated and fascinating story with parallel narratives, philosophical arguments, conspiracy theories, and appearances by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and more.

Amazon logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo
Mason & Dixon
Thomas Pynchon

One cold night, a clergyman entertains his family with tales of working with Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon (of the Mason–Dixon line fame). What follows is a complicated and fascinating story with parallel narratives, philosophical arguments, conspiracy theories, and appearances by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and more.

Amazon logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo

MENTIONED IN:

Story Time!: 9 Books That Feature a Story Within a Story

By Kerry Fiallo | December 28, 2016

Close
Absalom, Absalom!
by William Faulkner

William Faulkner’s epic tale ABSALOM, ABSALOM! was inspired by the Bible and Greek tragedies, and it’s considered one of the greatest Southern novels of all time. Multiple narrators with unique perspectives share their opinions of Thomas Sutpen, a poverty-stricken man with an intense desire to gain wealth and create a dynasty.

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo
Absalom, Absalom!
William Faulkner

William Faulkner’s epic tale ABSALOM, ABSALOM! was inspired by the Bible and Greek tragedies, and it’s considered one of the greatest Southern novels of all time. Multiple narrators with unique perspectives share their opinions of Thomas Sutpen, a poverty-stricken man with an intense desire to gain wealth and create a dynasty.

Amazon logo Audible logo Barnes & Noble logo Books a Million logo Google Play logo iBooks logo

MENTIONED IN:

Story Time!: 9 Books That Feature a Story Within a Story

By Kerry Fiallo | December 28, 2016

Close

You must be logged in to add books to your shelf.

Please log in or sign up now.