In short, I want to hear about why you were immersed, and how the author engineered the book to be immersive. In fact, it doesn't really have to be a book at all. Maybe it's just some innovative technique you've seen, or your own personal theories on how to create immersion.
For example, remember those Goosebumps books you used to read as a kid? The ones that let you "choose your fate"? They were immersive because of the way that they put the narrative in the readers hands, and allowed you to actually interact with the plot and drive the whole story. Being older now, I realise that they weren't exactly the best-written books around, but as a kid, I was hooked.
Or the "Tomorrow" series, by John Marsden (a fantastic writer by the way). The whole setting really sucked me in, due to the following:
1) I could really relate to the characters, both because I'm an Australian teen myself, and because the characters themselve were incredibly well-written and realisticly-depicted.
2) I was able to put myself in the picture, and imagine my place in the world that Marsden had created.
3) There was an emotional investment in the story; the book played to my innate patriotism, and I found myself actually worrying about the fate of Marsden's Australia.
Anyway, what are your thoughts?
For example, remember those Goosebumps books you used to read as a kid? The ones that let you "choose your fate"? They were immersive because of the way that they put the narrative in the readers hands, and allowed you to actually interact with the plot and drive the whole story. Being older now, I realise that they weren't exactly the best-written books around, but as a kid, I was hooked.
Or the "Tomorrow" series, by John Marsden (a fantastic writer by the way). The whole setting really sucked me in, due to the following:
1) I could really relate to the characters, both because I'm an Australian teen myself, and because the characters themselve were incredibly well-written and realisticly-depicted.
2) I was able to put myself in the picture, and imagine my place in the world that Marsden had created.
3) There was an emotional investment in the story; the book played to my innate patriotism, and I found myself actually worrying about the fate of Marsden's Australia.
Anyway, what are your thoughts?
