ABSTRACT
In this chapter, building on the earlier discussion about the stories we hear in practice, we explore the sorts of fictional stories we respond to and why this might be the case. We discuss the role of character identification, writing style, and expand upon the concept we introduced in the previous chapter known as the ‘paradox of fiction’. Examining each of these for their role in engagement, we equally examine why it is that we just don’t like some books that we read, before, again, putting forward what this might mean for social work. We forge the connection between ambiguity in fiction and the capacity to sit with ambiguity and discomfort in our profession.
