Character Murder
Can you forgive an author who kills off your favorite character? I've always been able to, but recently my husband stopped reading a book because he was so devastated by the death of a main character.(I don't want to give anything away, but he's really missing out on the rest of a very good book). He has called the author "evil" and "mean-spirited". But, really the story could not move forward without this pivotal plot twist.
I have heard others complain that they can't read a book because they don't like a character. Do we really need to be best friends with these fictional creations? Can't we read a book to gain some insight into other people(even people we may not like)?
I have found that some people read to escape--they want stories that transport them to places they want to be. While others read to be challenged or to learn.
What kind of reader are you? And do you think you can forgive an author for creating unlikeable characters, or killing off ones we like too much?
I have heard others complain that they can't read a book because they don't like a character. Do we really need to be best friends with these fictional creations? Can't we read a book to gain some insight into other people(even people we may not like)?
I have found that some people read to escape--they want stories that transport them to places they want to be. While others read to be challenged or to learn.
What kind of reader are you? And do you think you can forgive an author for creating unlikeable characters, or killing off ones we like too much?
posted by Amy Ettinger at 10:40 AM
3 Comments:
That was my problem with House of Sand and Fog. I found none of the characters to be likeable. Yet I thought the book was excellent. A conundrum! In novels, at least, there is time for the author to build a character and make him (her)believable even if unliked but with a short story I feel cheated when I can't identify with any of the characters.
Love these chars and love your blog!
Amy -- I promise to finish that book but it is quite disturbing.
Dan (cactuseaters.)
Isn't that a sign that the book is good? That it's gotten under your skin? Anyway, I think you mean that it's upsetting, not disturbing. (sorry for correcting you in public). Or were you really disturbed?
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