Yesterday I was discussing books with friend, and I commented that I had really disliked a particular book because the main character was her own worst enemy and just couldn't seem to be helped no matter what kind of a leg up was given to her. She much seemed to prefer complaining about how terrible her life was and how she never got a break in life than to actually ever try to fix anything. It drove me nuts. My friend's response gave me pause. She suggested that feeling that much hate towards a character is also a sign of a really good book because the author has deliberately made you feel that way, and has obviously done a great job of it. Thinking about it further, I realized that I read that book 20 years ago and I still remember it well, and I still get angry when I think about the character. I also realized that I have never once said that the writing was terrible or that I put it down because I couldn't get through it. It just really made me angry.
When Characters Make You Angry...
When Characters Make You Angry...
When Characters Make You Angry...
Yesterday I was discussing books with friend, and I commented that I had really disliked a particular book because the main character was her own worst enemy and just couldn't seem to be helped no matter what kind of a leg up was given to her. She much seemed to prefer complaining about how terrible her life was and how she never got a break in life than to actually ever try to fix anything. It drove me nuts. My friend's response gave me pause. She suggested that feeling that much hate towards a character is also a sign of a really good book because the author has deliberately made you feel that way, and has obviously done a great job of it. Thinking about it further, I realized that I read that book 20 years ago and I still remember it well, and I still get angry when I think about the character. I also realized that I have never once said that the writing was terrible or that I put it down because I couldn't get through it. It just really made me angry.