Is this generally acceptable in a book? I've heard so much conflicing advice, I'm not sure who to believe.

My novel is written in 80 per cent first person with chapter switches to scenes where the narrator is not present. I feel it works well but I'm concerned about this after one of my readers said 'you can't do this!'

I can re-write the whole book and have two first person POVs but I much prefer the third person.

I'd appreciate any advice - of the many reviews I've had, hardly anyone has pointed out my so-called 'error.'

<Added>

I was always led to believe there is no reason you can't slip from first into omniscient in chapters where your MC isn't present.

Hi Gillian

there are countless examples of books which switch from first to third. It's prevalent these days, so it must be acceptable so long as it works.

My one misgiving would be that if only 20% of the book is in third person, then it may not read like intentional structuring, or a chosen device, but merely a weak way of getting round the fact the protagonist isn't present. I'd look for ways to balance out the first and third persons - not in exactly equal parts, but to make sure they both stand alone as valid, rather than one being valid and one being a makeweight.

(Not having read your book I have no idea if this is how it comes over - it may be fine, but the 80-20 divide sounds like it may be part of the problem.)

It's really hard to tell whether something works when only small sections are being reviewed - to get a true idea, the whole novel needs to be read. I think you are in the new group - is it Thalia? Does this comment come from a reader there? If the majority of your whole-book readers aren't finding it a problem, I'd have thought it was working. Sorry, this doesn't really help much, but I think it's almost impossible to know these things without reading the whole book.
Susiex

Gillian, just had a very quick skim through your opening chapters, just looking at the beginnings, and have added some thoughts there (in the Chapter Three section). Hope they're of use.
Susiex

Thanks for the advice Cherys and Susie, also for your helpful comments Susie.
It was actually on another forum where one reviewer just said 'you can't do this' after reading the opening chapters.
I haven't had any WWers point it out so far in Novel II (Calliope) so I'm hoping and praying it is working

Thanks again for the advice!

It's very common in US thrillers. Sometimes it can be one in five chapters are first person, the others in third-limited so you get personal viewpoints but only really one emotional-personal viewpoint. It's a way of forcing the reader to take the side of a particular character. It falls down when the other characters are more interesting, so really need to give your 1st person an edge.

Colin M