Can you like a book when you don't like the main character(s)?

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I'm just curious. I have rated a book poorly because I didn't like/feel sympathy for/respect/or at least understand the motivations of the main character and gotten criticized by other reviewers for it, particularly with classic books that others rate highly. What about your thoughts on this?

[Jais]

I have read books where I didn't like the main characters and most of these books, I didn't like. It was very difficult for me to like books with unlikeable MC's because, as you said, Danielle,"I didn't like/feel sympathy for/respect/or at least understand the motivations of the main character." These characters sometimes make me DNF books.
There were some, though, like Kresley Cole's Lothaire, I hated Lothaire, but I liked the book very much. I didn't like Marianne and Willoughby, but I ate up the book. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I believe it's still a matter of preference. People will just have to agree to disagree.

[Paganalexandria]

Danielle The Book Huntress (Angels Weep For Goodreads) wrote: "I'm just curious. I have rated a book poorly because I didn't like/feel sympathy for/respect/or at least understand the motivations of the main character and gotten criticized by other reviewers f..."

For me "liking" isn't important but caring how everything turns out is. Sometimes being intrigued by a reprehensible character will keep me invested. Even if I don't like them, their action have to make some kind of sense. That doesn't mean they have to follow my script, just that it's plausible. For example, I really didn't like any of the characters in , but couldn't put it down because it was riveting. I don't understand anyone criticizing you for not being able to finish a classic. If we tell the truth, a lot of "classics" are dry dull reads. Most feel like homework. Every once in a while, I'll read one willingly, but go into them as a learning experience. Research mode works to keep me from DNFing. True story, I have been trying to get through War & Peace for 10 years. LOL

[Fani *loves angst*]

In romances, I have to at least like one of the main characters to enjoy the book myself. Liking both of them makes the chances of my liking the book much higher, but if I don't like any of them it's hard to enjoy the book.

That said, there are classic books, outside the romance genre, where I have thoroughly enjoyed the book while not particularly liking the main character (The Red and the Black is the first that comes to mind). In these books, the writing, the plot and the nuances of human nature are the focal point for me, so liking or not the main character is not that big an issue.

[Paganalexandria]

Fani wrote: "In romances, I have to at least like one of the main characters to enjoy the book myself. Liking both of them makes the chances of my liking the book much higher, but if I don't like any of them it..."

Fani, you hit the nail on the head. In other genres, psychological profiling can be enough to keep you invested despite hating the characters. In straight romance or erotica, at least being into the guy is imperative for me to keep reading. How much I enjoy the female is sometimes the ratings marker I use in those genres. By the way, is filed in my non-consensual realm, which has a completely different rating scales.

[Lanie (Lanies Book Thoughts)]

If I don't like the main character, in any type of book, I'll put it down and won't look back! If the main character doesn't click with me well I don't see the point of continuing the story. I know personally, that my opinion of the MC will definitely alter what I think, even if it's an amazing book. If the MC is bad, it's all going to be bad. As far as classics go, most of the MCs are super idealistic or altered to fit the times, which makes it hard to get into. You shouldn't let anyone make you feel bad or become upset over your reviews or thoughts of a classic Danielle because they're all up to interpretation!

[Mochaspresso]

I can, but I have to be honest and say that I'm not always consistent on that. It took me more than 2 decades and 3 re-reads to realize that I actually don't hate "Wuthering Heights" as much as I always thought that I did. I actually like the story, I just despise the characters. A problem that I didn't seem to have with "The Great Gatsby" and "The Catcher in the Rye", which were also classic novels with characters that I did not like but still managed to like the book.

[Pamela(AllHoney), Danger Zone]

I think the rating would be affected if I couldn't like the characters. In fact, I doubt I could read the book if I hated them too much. There are a lot of older bodice rippers that I hated the jerky hero that I lowered the rating because of them. I'm usually a little more tolerant of the heroine but again if she is too annoying it will affect the rating.

[Andrea]

I just finished one. It was a paranormal with an intriguing premise and dynamite world building. But I didn't feel much for either the hero or heroine. It made me rate it lower.

[Shay]

I just posted this in another group but I think it fits with this discussion. If you don't like the book so much that you don't finish, do you rate it?

[Danielle Book Boss]

Disliking the characters makes me rate low. I usually don't have a problem with the story (I mean it has to be just awful for me to give the book a low rating if I like the characters but the story is bad), it's usually the characters: either a complete prick hero mixed with an idiot heroine will more often than not get a 1-2 star review from me.

[PepperP0t]

even if I dislike the main character it doesn't necessarily affect the rating. i'll finish the book and put in the review that I didn't like the character and it affected the rating if necessary.

@Shay if I dislike a book so much I don't finish it, I don't rate it.

[Danielle Book Boss]

Shay wrote: "I just posted this in another group but I think it fits with this discussion. If you don't like the book so much that you don't finish, do you rate it?"

I don't rate but I do mark it as DNF.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

@Fani, I can see you point about the other aspects and nuances of a book winning you over. A good example is The Picture of Dorian Gray. I certainly didn't like him, but Wilde is such a beautiful writer, I loved the book regardless.

So yes, there are times that excellent writing trumps unlikable characters.

Another book I rated highly although I didn't like the characters was The Magicians. It was very enjoyable despite the horrible characters.

I think when it comes to classics, I feel that my radar is high for pretentiousness in the writing. I know most of the classics I rated low, I think another issue was that the author didn't succeed in the goal they set in writing the book, in my opinion. Some examples would be The Stranger by Camus, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.

For instance, The Awakening by Kate Chopin is reputedly a feminist book, but Edna was the opposite of a woman who takes responsibility for and operates in her life through making choices. I was pretty offended by her, honestly.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I rated Gatsby low because I didn't find anything redeeming about any of the characters. I think one day I will reread it, but haven't worked my way around to it again.

Opposite example, The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner. I didn't understand most of the book when I read it, but after reading the Cliff Notes, I realized that I appreciate what Faulkner had achieved with the book. Jason was a wretched human being, but the contrast he created in the narratives between him, Benjy, and I forget the name of their housekeeper was pretty striking, and therefore it was a very successful book.

I do think I am pretty hard on MCs in my escapist reading. If they are reprehensible, it's usually reflected in my rating. I'm not talking about morally edgy characters. I think an author can surprise you in how endearing you can find a rascal, with good writing.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Shay wrote: "I just posted this in another group but I think it fits with this discussion. If you don't like the book so much that you don't finish, do you rate it?"

If I truly hate a book, I will rate it even if I don't finish it (and I feel I read enough to have an opinion). I rarely don't finish books though.

[Teen]

Is recently rated a psychological thriller 5-stars that had a reprehensible main character and the other character weak.....the story was twisted and intriguing...and well-written. Typically, though, I need to like the protagonists. This book was not the norm...

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

What book was it, Teen?

[Paganalexandria]

Teen wrote: "Is recently rated a psychological thriller 5-stars that had a reprehensible main character and the other character weak.....the story was twisted and intriguing...and well-written. Typically, thou..."

Let me guess, ?

[Shellie]

Can I join this discussion? I finished a book last night and I'm torn on how to rate it because I didn't like the Hero. He made horrible choices imo and didn't really do anything that would qualify him as a "hero" It was a biker book so I give the male main characters a lot of slack but I felt like he did some ridiculous things. And tbh, wasn't really much of a man. I kind of wished the heroine would have ended up with one of the secondary characters.

[Goge (BARRONS) le Moning Maniac,]

No I can't. Sorry. And even if I do it'll just be a feeling of pity that the good storyline is doused in distasteful characters. A feeling of admiration for the storyline or author may ensue but it has to peek out from the black flood of dislike for the main characters. Unfulfilled wishes of other characters being the main character will annoy/frustrate me and make me want to stop reading the book. I may not finish the book. I may skip around. I may throw the book across the room. The rating will be low regardless of the good storyline. The most they can climb is two point five stars. They tend to be two or one star books with mean reviews.

[Rachel Annie]

In my escapist reading, I go for romances with the traditional HEA. In these reads I want to like and empathize with both MC's, because if I don't, then I don't care about what happens to them.

Other genres I treat differently.

[Rachel Annie]

Paganalexandria **wicked juices bubbling over** wrote: "In other genres, psychological profiling can be enough to keep you invested despite hating the characters. In straight romance or erotica, at least being into the guy is imperative for me to keep reading. How much I enjoy the female is sometimes the ratings marker I use in those genres. By the way, Consequences (Consequences, #1) is filed in my non-consensual realm, which has a completely different rating scales..."

Hi Pagan! So I recently pre-ordered that .99 bundle with all those dark reads, and Consequences is one of them. I've been wary of these kinds of reads, because they don't fit my idea of a traditional romance.

I'm thinking the trick is to not think of them that way as I read them. You mentioned different rating scales--I think that's a good idea. Maybe if I read it more like a psychological thriller without the hope of an HEA, I could get into it more.

[Teen]

Paganalexandria **wicked juices bubbling over** wrote: "Teen wrote: "Is recently rated a psychological thriller 5-stars that had a reprehensible main character and the other character weak.....the story was twisted and intriguing...and well-written. Ty..."

...yes, this is, also, an examples but I was referring to ...really hated the characters but the story was so intriguing...

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Shellie wrote: "Can I join this discussion? I finished a book last night and I'm torn on how to rate it because I didn't like the Hero. He made horrible choices imo and didn't really do anything that would qualify..."

If it's a romance and the hero is very unheroic, I can't rate the book well because I don't believe in the romance and the potential HEA.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Goge (BARRONS) le Moning Maniac, wrote: "No I can't. Sorry. And even if I do it'll just be a feeling of pity that the good storyline is doused in distasteful characters. A feeling of admiration for the storyline or author may ensue but it..."

It's funny you say that. I can be so broody about books. I can be in a mood for days. That's why I try to avoid some subject matter. I have trouble disconnecting.

[✿ Natalie ✿]

I haven't read many books where I haven't liked the main character(s) but of those I've read I found myself frustrated with the main character and their choices. There was one book I read which was part of a series I loved and I found the main character/heroine very very difficult to like or warm to - even while being able to acknowledge the excellent writing and imagery imployed by the author. My dislike off this main character though ruined my experience of the book as a whole, especially as it was told in first person.
I feel if I didn't like any of the main characters that makes a book much harder to enjoy, I have to have something to invest my interest in!

[✿ Natalie ✿]

Danielle The Book Huntress (Angels Weep For Goodreads) wrote: "..It's funny you say that. I can be so broody about books. I can be in a mood for days. That's why I try to avoid some subject matter. I have trouble disconnecting. ."

I'm similar Danielle. Some books stay with me for quite a some days after reading and I do have to watch the subject matter and determine if it feels the right time to delve into that subject/world.
I recently chanced a ' Dark romance' novel and was ok with it but know last year I probably couldn't have disconnected myself enough from the storyline! That's why review reading is so helpful to understand if the book contains themes I need to leave aside till a later date, or not :-)

[Sonya]

Can you like a book when you don't like the main character(s)?

My most hated character of all time is Melinda from Virgin River.

She's a self-absorbed, self-righteous, bossy, horrendous woman. She's in all twenty Virgin River books, but just in the first one she does awful things like arrange for the hero to have blood tests for STDs without telling him (and not having any herself, because she's just too perfect), and tells anyone who will listen how much she hates their town.
And she's so obsessed with babies it's sickening.

I hate her so much - and yet I'm addicted to the author who created her!

[Susan (the other Susan)]

When I'm reading romance, I need to bond with at least one of the protagonists or their story isn't worth my time. In other genres, they only need to be interesting, not likable. Some of my favorite non- romance reads have been about people I'd avoid like plague in real life. Gone Girl, The Litttle Stranger, the infuriating Ryder in The Unconsoled, the devastatingly unmovable butler in Remains of the Day...

[Missyb]

I've read books that the story wasn't that good, but I liked the characters so I continued to read the series, but I might put it aside for something better. If I don't like the characters I'd have a hard time continuing to read the series. If it's one book (each book is focused on a different set of characters but the characters carry over from book to book) then it doesn't matter as much to me since I'd trudge though for the series.
Something has to grab me, either a great story or great characters, but hopefully both.
When I rate a book I try to keep the story and characters in mind. Same goes for bad editing. Any of the 3 can bring down a rating. If one is so bad then the other two may not make up for it.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

@Natalie, I definitely have to watch what I'm reading depending on the subject matter and what's going on in my life. I think I'm just very empathetic, that even fiction stays with me if the subject matter is very close to home or disturbing or angsty.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

@Missyb, I can overlook minor grammar/editing issues, but if the writing mechanics are poor, that's hard for me. I think it's because I read so much that my reading eye has become more demanding and poor writing doesn't get past me as much as it might have before.