The Use of Free Indirect Discourse in J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series

Although the romance genre has received a lot of attention in feminist and gender studies, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, it is still largely ignored by narratologists and other literary theorists. When romance is subjected to any scholarly treatment it tends to be as a cultural phenomenon, and in bulk, rather than as individual texts. The purpose of this article is to examine J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood paranormal romance series purely from a narratological perspective, exploring how Ward’s narrative technique serves to satisfy the conventions of the romance formula while also yielding an original and engaging story. The primary area of interest in this article is Ward’s use of narrative voice, particularly her extensive use of free indirect discourse, and the impact this has on the formula romance plot.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC

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