Authorial asides can offer dedicated readers an incredible experience - but might lose the rest.
Introduction: Is this meta?
Pop culture has a peculiar fascination with ‘meta’ references and punchlines. Deadpool (2016) is perhaps the most cited example from recent years, with the eponymous character’s frequent snarky asides to the audience. Dan Harmon’s Community (2009-2015) instead played heavily with tropes and clichés, and was also heavily praised for its ‘meta’ commentary. Fans of Arrested Development (2003-2019) argue that the show becomes exponentially funnier as you become more familiar with the characters and their world, thanks to a deep well of metatextual references to explore in every episode.
The question of whether most consumers of these media could describe what they enjoy in these conventions is one I’d love to talk about another time (I think it will involve exploring a couple potential definitions of comedy, so keep your laughing pants handy).
Today, I’m interested in the practice of including fictional footnotes in speculative fiction novels. Some specific novels include A Choir of Lies by Alexandra Rowland, Babel by R.F. Kuang, Mort (and many other Discworld novels) by Terry Pratchett, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susannah Clarke, and the sublime House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski.
Art of House of Leaves by Yamiyo-no-Kage
Fantastic Footnotes
That phrase could easily sound like juxtaposition. What could be enjoyable - let alone magical - about a style of citation and academic notation? As anyone who has written a college essay will tell you, properly formatting your references can be as stressful as any other part of the process. The difference quickly becomes apparent when you read a text with citations, hyperlinks, or any other reference style. We’ve all disappeared down a Wikipedia rabbit hole or lost hours on tvtropes.org, following tangents which arise from a single salient detail.
Whether digressing on a bit of information that couldn’t quite fit into the body of a text or adding context to a citation, footnotes can be genuinely fascinating in the non-fiction world. A great example are CGPGrey’s videos about the origins of the name Tiffany.
A few fiction authors have been inspired to include narrative footnotes in their own works. Rather than citing research on behalf of the author, these notes add to the setting, tone and/or narrative of the novel.
Their Function in the Text
Footnotes have been employed for a variety of reasons in speculative fiction. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell perhaps comes closest to using them purely for citation, though Susannah Clarke also adds asides and bits of lore on occasion.
Babel adds context to Kuang’s narrative in the alternate history she has imagined. Mort by Terry Pratchett is similar, humorously expounding on small but fascinating elements of Discworld.
A Choir of Lies has one author responding to the work of another through footnotes. Though a break from tradition, Rowland uses this motif to entwine her character’s narratives and perspectives in unique and creative ways.
House of Leaves does all of the above and more. This book is an absolute achievement in expanding what a ‘novel’ is capable of; I’d highly recommend you give it a read before hearing any more about it from me. But if that didn’t convince you, I’ll explain a little.
Light Context / Spoilers for House of Leaves/
Similar to A Choir of Lies, Danielewski’s House of Leaves has one author (Johnny Truant) picking up the work of another (Zampanò) and using footnotes to comment on and respond to the text. In this case he is also trying to finish the book (reminiscent of Yellowface by Babel author R.F. Kuang), and therefore also documents his reasoning for changing and adding textual details.
The kicker is that Zampanò’s unfinished work is already an authoritative analysis and commentary on a mysterious film. House of Leaves therefore includes three levels of metatextuality even before unfolding before the eyes of the reader. Johnny’s footnotes try to interpret Zampanò’s own analysis of a thing that defies logic, even as we see him continuing to navigate his own confused life.
But that’s all I can say without robbing you of the opportunity to experience this strange masterpiece for yourself. One day when I re-read it, I’ll certainly do a deep dive into everything it offers. Make sure you’re ready to join me!
/End of House of Leaves Discussion
AI interpretation of 'Lost in Footnotes'
Endnote
I took a very generalized look at footnotes in fantasy in this blog, because I think they are much better enjoyed first-hand than explained in detail.
Footnotes feel like a perfect fit for me as someone (with ADHD) who craves additional context and details if I am to understand something - and tend to assume others do as well, meaning I will frequently add small asides when speaking or writing.
Authors like Terry Pratchett can use footnotes to deliver joking asides that would otherwise interfere with the momentum of their narrative. R.F. Kuang can add alternate history context to satiate nitpickers and super-fans alike. Alexandra Rowland and Mark Z. Danielewski can push the boundaries of what kinds of stories novels are able to tell. All of these asides can be fascinating to read for their own merits.
As a reader, I love the extra context and details footnotes can afford. They can be misused, however. It can be jarring to repeatedly leave your place in the text, read a footnote, then return to your place and resume the narrative as though there was no interruption. When momentum is high I have found myself missing them altogether. It can be genuinely uncomfortable to try and follow two (or more) narratives and perspectives simultaneously.
That said, I greatly look forward to seeing where this trend is headed. Will Babel mean the style is included in more pseudo-academic stories? Or will another Danielewski come along to weave together narratives and times? I can’t wait to find out!
Thanks for reading! Are there any fictional footnotes books I missed that you would recommend?
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