sublimosa answers “Did anyone notice that the book lacked...”

Karen Dautrich asked this question about The Nix:

Did anyone notice that the book lacked positive characters? It seemed everyone was more of a caricature. The most annoying to me was Faye's attorney. That first meeting between Faye and Samuel was so poorly conceived & absurd. And Samuel as a child. The constant crying even at age 11 was odd. For me, a book this size needs some heros.

sublimosa I saw them all as struggling and flawed, but almost all of them had positive sides. They were all very human and wracked with guilt and/or self doubt,…moreI saw them all as struggling and flawed, but almost all of them had positive sides. They were all very human and wracked with guilt and/or self doubt, etc. <spoiler> Although Frank doesn't improve, Faye moves back to Iowa and gives him forgiveness from herself and his other family, even if he doesn't deserve this. She finally recognizes that most people do the best they can. Samuel comes to understand his mother and hopefully is letting go, by writing her true story. Bishop, what a glorious and horrible character. He is terrible and yet defends the underdog and albeit in the wrong way, tries to assuage Samuel's loss. His last act is to try to protect his sister from the trauma that haunted him and to have the plan to make amends to those he hurt in the past. </spoiler>
To be human and flawed and yet finally come to some awareness that one can move on and make amends and live life even if it wasn't what you thought is a very powerful and yes, positive, message. (less)

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