Discussion Question: Do you have to like the characters?

[fashion_piranha]

I am reading a book right now that just isn't working out.  I am not enjoying it one bit.

Is it the subject?  No, it's a historical fiction set in the Tudor courts.  I love me some Tudor drama.  Pacing's fine.  The writing's adequate, clear and descriptive.  But it's told through the eyes of one woman, and I don't like her.  She is the most annoying

Comments

[fashion_piranha]

Perfume was such an awesome book. If I ever make a Top 10 list, it'll be there. But I liked Grenouille, even though he was a total villain, and I wanted to read about him.

[fashion_piranha]

Man, I'm so stuck trying to think of any books where I didn't like the main character but something about the book overpowered that. The best example I can think of is Batman. I don't always like the Dark Knight, but his enemies are so compelling (Joker, Poison Ivy, Scarcrow, Catwoman, on and on) that I'd read his comic books.

[kilobites]

I don't have to like them or agree with their actions, but I have to enjoy them, if that makes any sense. I have to want to read about them. Pretty much any book where the main character is a serial killer or a generally bad person ("The Talented Mr. Ripley" is one example I'm thinking of) I don't like the character, but I like reading about the character.

(I think I abused my italics there)

[fashion_piranha]

Whoa, when did your terrifying kittysnake thing gain the power of piracy?

But yes, what you said made perfect sense and I agree.

[kilobites]

It's pirate week at one of my communities, so kittysnake had to be properly outfitted =P

[readergal1004]

I agree with you, I have to be interested in the character at least.

[darkmagess]

In my experience, yes, I have to like the narrator or main characters. I despised Catcher in the Rye for the same reason you did. I can't think of any example where I hated the main character but still thought the book was good.

[atdelphi]

I suppose I don't have to like the main character, but I do have to not-hate them. I dislike Harry Potter as a character, but I still enjoyed the series - though I think I was a little forgiving because the reason I disliked him (his complete and utter inability to ask simple and obvious questions) was a weakness of the author rather than something intrinsic to the character. Conversely, I gave up on Robin Hobb's Farseer series about 3/4 of the way through because I wanted to hit Fitz with a shovel.

[saru_kage]

I don't think it's absolutely necessary to like the main character. In fact, there are a lot of stories that just wouldn't work if the main character was likable. Lolita is the first one that springs to mind, but I've also read a few short stories in the last year or so that made some seriously artful use of unlikable protagonists. So no, I don't think a likable main character is necessarily as important as story, plot, and pacing, that keeps you wanting to see what's on the next page. I've found that a lot of the time the main character/narrator is deliberately annoying or unlikable there's a reason for it, and sometimes it's worth reading to the end to find out why.

On Catcher in the Rye, I didn't get around to reading it until I was an adult, and I'm actually really glad I never read it in high school. I don't think I would have gotten it back then. I'm actually pretty sure I would have hated it.

Also, A Confederacy of Dunces was awesome!