Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all)’s Comments (group member since Sep 20, 2013)

Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all)’s comments from the Net Work Book Club group.

I've been wracking my brain for the last couple of days trying to remember the title of the book that was first time I ran across a totally unlikeable main character--but no joy. I remember trying so hard to relate to this guy who was being a total hypocrite and buttmunch, until suddenly I realised hey--I'm not supposed to. But he wasn't the sort of character you can enjoy hating (like say Nellie Oleson or somebody)--he was just dreary.

It was some novel about a man who had become an Anglican monk after raising his family and becoming a widower; he was supposed to have a gift of healings and visions, but a lot of it was him making stuff up or using events to his own advantage. Eventually he does have a real sort of "pre-vision" thing, but I didn't like the story or the character enough to read the rest of it. So many books, so little time.

L.F. wrote: "If the main character is disagreeable to the reader, then other characters or something powerful in the plot must counteract that. I have one book where the main character is pretty unlikable, but..."

Yes, there has to be some sort of plot force that creates an evolution of the character, or at least our perception of him/her (English is short on pronouns!)--a person can be disagreeable and yet have something that stirs our understanding, such as saying, "Well, in that situation I probably would react the same" or "you really can't blame him."

I can think of many unlikeable main characters. One is Albert Honig (eyeroll) in Telling the Bees. Another is the main character in Them Bones or in Ghost at Work--both women, and both made me want to shake them!! Though the one in Them Bones was the worst--I found her obsession with her "womb" and her "thumb tingling" to be stupid, unbelievable, and demeaning. And then of course there's Jane Austen Ruined My Life--such a whiny, silly child!!

Have a look at my reviews, Virginia, as the reasons I disliked each particular character are explained in detail there.

You said it so much better than I did, Groovy. Why would the reader want to invest reading time with someone who's annoying or upsetting? Although with the current trend for "dark, gritty" fiction, there must be a market for it, I'll never buy into it.

Well it helps if you can relate to/empathise with/"like" at least on some level, the main character. I find unlikeable or unreliable main characters spoil the reading experience for me. I meet enough unlikeable characters in real life, I don't need them in fiction! LOL

Good morning all. Looks like I've lost "the game" this month. I expected to have 3-4 classes even though it's Feria (local week of drinking and dancing), but even my trusty engineer bailed for the whole week. What with Holy Week coming in April and DH not getting paid until Saturday--I lost. Ah well. I needed a rest, true enough. But I don't get paid for resting.

Well, I'd prefer to curry the beans, and eat them hot over rice, but that's just me! LOL
I had all kinds of plans for this afternoon but fortunately they've turned into lying about reading and watching DVDs.

Glad you're getting some rest, Frenchie! I was naughty, today was the AGM at church and I left before the meeting started. But I'm tired and sleepy and my legs hurt, so I ran away!

Send some of that rain here, we need it! I'll take all you can spare.

Morning all, feeling much better here. DH had another serious nosebleed so we went to the ER Tuesday night late, and found out he has very high blood pressure (160/90) and a heart murmur. They gave him some meds that really seem to be helping. He feels a lot better in himself and if they take caffiene away from him he might actually get some sleep! We have a week off here (Feria) so I won't have many classes and can get some downtime, which I badly need. It's almost worth having no cash coming in!

Oh, sorry. I may be good, but I'm slow.

Huh? I know it's early, but IDGI.

You mean in a government office?

Two guys walk into a bar. The third guy ducks.

I deleted a joke I realise I posted twice.

What does a cow with a bad cold say?

Boo!

What does a dog with a bad cold say?

Mark, mark!

Groovy wrote: "There's some good jokes here:

What do you call a dog with no legs?

You can call him what you want, he still ain't coming!"

What do you call a cat?

Whatever you like; cats never come when called, anyway.

Just wondering about words like "disgruntled". What does it mean if you're "gruntled"? (It sounds rather rude). Or disappointed. I can imagine you would be happy to be appointed, if it's a nice job, but...

Certainly "disillusioned" makes sense, when someone takes away your illusions about something it can be disappointing, and leave you disgruntled.

People who say "book" when they mean "magazine" or even "pamphlet." This to me is the mark of a non-reader. I grew up in the Midwest as I say, and my friends were always telling me, "There's this book on (whatever) in (name of shop)." I'd ask, "Do you mean a real book, or a magazine?" "No, a book." I'd toddle along, and sure enough--it would be a magazine. Sometimes a monthly, sometimes a weekly--but not a book.

I just ran across this mis-usage in Betty's Wartime Diary 1939 - 1945 so it is niether a regionalism nor a modern thing. But it sure shows that the person who uses it doesn't read many books.

mrbooks wrote: "Here is one that always irks me, The other day I... Or this guy I know...

One of the guys at work is always saying that next time he does I am going to ask if everything happened the other day, ..."

Wrong thread,Mr Books. This is for the ones we like!! LOL Somehow it's gotten confused with the "words we hate" thread.

Morning all...woke up at 4.30 again, partly time change and partly a very stressful day yesterday. Stuff happened that shouldn't have, and other stuff didn't, that should have. Sigh.
But now classes are over and I can get on with the long weekend. My way of "time off" is to change activities. Hoping to get the kitchen scrubbed down.

Working on reading Titus Groan, a book I thought I had imagined years back. Found it by chance mentioned in a documentary.

Like watching the 60s TV series of The Prisoner, you don't have to be high to read this book--but I bet it helps.