What is a prose novel?

Answer 1

A prose novel is one in which the author pays particular attention to the classical idea of prose. It is writing distinguished from poetry by its greater variety of rhythm and its closer resemblance to the patterns of everyday speech. Skilled authors can alter how they use prose throughout a book to suggest different moods and ideas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prose).

A good example of this would be Vision Quest by Terry Davis. Although his book is kind of an underground hit (among young athletes) I have heard that Davis spent particular care in his use of prose.

Now whether this has anything to do with his bouts with depression is another debate. However it did get him some acclaim:

John Irving called Vision Quest "the truest novel about growing up since Catcher in the Rye," and said, "it's a better novel about wrestling, and wrestlers, than The World According to Garp."

I am citing this example because it is really the only novel I have heard/read any kind of discussion about in regard to prose. Even when search online for "authors know for prose" I only received scattered results...

Answer 2

Prose is basically anything that's not poetry, so a prose novel is a novel which is not written in poetry. This category includes most novels... The only novels that I can think of in poetry form are old ones like the Aeneid, the Odyssey, and Beowulf.

Answer 3

A prose novel, in the traditional sense, is one that incorporates vivid descriptive passages, bordering on poetic.
If you read some of Truman Capote's early short stories, he's a perfect example of a prose writer operating at a far higher pitch than lesser writers..

Answer 4

There is poetry (sonnets, poems, songs etc.) and prose (tales, short stories, novels).
Prose is used in writing novels.

Answer 5

Huh? No such thing. A novel is a compilation of words (prose)that tell a story. Period.