Books We Like About Characters We Hate

Fiction (or narrative poetry, or memoir/biography, whatever; anything that tells a story) with a main character who is really odious. Not a likeable rascal or misfit, not a bad person redeemed by incredible coolness --- someone you just absolutely hate as you're reading the book, but somehow you still like the book anyway. (In spite of the character, not because of him/her).
1

by
4.33 avg rating — 33 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 684,085 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
3.64 avg rating — 6,187,058 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
3.88 avg rating — 799,351 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
3.80 avg rating — 3,331,272 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
3.94 avg rating — 82,031 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
7

by
3.80 avg rating — 40,807 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
7

by
3.44 avg rating — 73 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
4.08 avg rating — 625,576 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
3.88 avg rating — 1,692,702 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
3.83 avg rating — 176,736 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
4.01 avg rating — 256,055 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
3.58 avg rating — 58,512 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
3.87 avg rating — 562,008 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
3.62 avg rating — 16 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
3.70 avg rating — 65,639 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
3.73 avg rating — 6,431 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
3.85 avg rating — 101,204 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 15,387 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
3.73 avg rating — 1,520 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
4.05 avg rating — 56,219 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
3.84 avg rating — 254,280 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
4.26 avg rating — 586 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
25

by
3.39 avg rating — 3,429 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
25

by
3.49 avg rating — 220 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
27

by
4.18 avg rating — 76,026 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
27

by
3.94 avg rating — 1,808 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
3.65 avg rating — 11,502 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
3.85 avg rating — 639,343 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
31

by
3.99 avg rating — 1,751,659 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
3.87 avg rating — 3,332 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
3.73 avg rating — 2,628 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
4.32 avg rating — 41 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
35

by
3.96 avg rating — 48 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
35 books · 30 voters · list created December 4th, 2008 by Lindsay (votes) .
1 like · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Lindsay 700 books
51 friends
Jami 2558 books
58 friends
Emily 1497 books
19 friends
Coalbanks 1170 books
23 friends
Alicia 518 books
68 friends
Eileen 665 books
12 friends
Tayo 1014 books
22 friends
Isabella 1339 books
3 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-2 of 2 (2 new)

dateDown arrow    newest »

message 1: by J10 (new)

J10 Great idea for a list! Quite some people say they don't like certain books because the main character is "unlikeable". Seriously? Unlikeable characters can be part of or even enable literary masterpieces, as this list already proves.


message 2: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited May 29, 2019 04:56AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) J10 wrote: "Unlikeable characters can be part of or even enable literary masterpieces, ..."

Oh absolutely. I added De Dwerg by Pär Lagerkvist. Piccolino is probably the most unsympathetic character/narrator I've ever come across but the book is great!


back to top