Hour 19: Characters

[Alicia]

We're getting into the real meat of the readathon so put on another pot of tea, pour a second drink, break out the junk food and let's keep reading!

I'm back for the next two hours here and this hour's question for you is: how many characters is too many characters? What's your magic number of characters to keep track of in a book? And what about their names? Do you have names you've loved (or hated)?

... especially for science fiction and fantasy I find myself frustrated when character names are hard to read or pronounce and it detracts from the story. Likewise, I like about 3-6 well-rounded characters, then after that, I'm distracted again trying to keep everyone straight. I know I'm in for it when I see a family tree or character guide at the front!

[Vicki Willis]

I do a lot of audible books and if there are too many characters in the beginning it is hard. Or I don't know how to spell them.
When I am reading I don't like when the names are similar or alliterative, then I get confused.

[Alicia]

Vicki Willis wrote: "I do a lot of audible books and if there are too many characters in the beginning it is hard. Or I don't know how to spell them.
When I am reading I don't like when the names are similar or alliter..."

That makes sense that audio would help, but I'm sure the narrators practice quite a bit when names are similar or alliterative.

[Avid Reader and Geek Girl]

I think 3 to 6 is about right, I also hate when the character names are hard to pronounce or read, I usually avoid reading physical copies of books like that and try to get the audio.

[Maureen]

Don’t have any opinions about an actual number but I’ve actually stopped reading a series where everyone had names that started with same few letters; Violet, Veronica, Catherine, Caitlyn, Edgar, Edward. Argh!!!

[Sarah]

I once read a book that introduced half a dozen new characters every chapter. I had a really hard time keeping characters straight. Also, a book shouldn't have two names that are similar like Elle and Ella. My last thought is that no matter how much I love Crime and Punishment, I dislike that the author refers to the main characters by multiple names.

[Alicia]

Sarah wrote: "I once read a book that introduced half a dozen new characters every chapter. I had a really hard time keeping characters straight. Also, a book shouldn't have two names that are similar like Elle ..."

Agree. If you establish that a character is going by another name, stick with it!

[Alicia]

Avid Reader and Geek Girl wrote: "I think 3 to 6 is about right, I also hate when the character names are hard to pronounce or read, I usually avoid reading physical copies of books like that and try to get the audio."

For this reason, I should probably start listening to more audio than I do!

[Elsi]

I read The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old some time ago, and in the middle of the book I realized, that one of the characters was actually two different characters with just similar names.

[Larissa]

Well a good story for me usually has 1-3 main characters but can have up to 7 if it is a family situation type story or the characters are distinct and added slowly. I recently read Ten Kids, No Pets and keep tracking of 10 kids was a challenge (thankfully they each had their own chapter). When I was younger I tried to read Little Men and my main complaint was that there were too many little men! I wonder if I have changed my mind on that. Names that fit the description of a character is a must for me. I can't think of an example right now though.

[Liora]

I can normally handle about 5 to 6 well developed characters. More than that and I start getting them confused unless the author has done an unusually good job at filling them out. Some authors just really excel at creating unique, memorable characters, like Charles Dickens. I can keep 20 of his characters straight.

[Karsyn]

That's one thing I've never thought about / worried about. If a story is a good story, that's all that matters to me. I love The Martian, which has the 1 character for half of the book, and I love the Bobiverse books which is 40ish MCs, plus dozens of side characters and back and forth in times/years.

Great books are great books, I love them all, cast of big or small.

[Irene]

I haven't really thought about that... I'm not good at multiple POVs though. Not even two!
As for names, I sometimes just pronounce them my own way, if, to me, they have a complicated name. They can't all be Mias and Peters :P

[Dannii]

I like both books with one protagonist as well as ones with mutiple, such as Game of Thrones. Split-perspective, between only two people, appeals a lot to me as well.

I have many favourite names that I've discovered through books - Sarai, Hermione, Arya, Sansa, Blue - but my mind seems to just gloss over overly confusing names and I tend to then also lose connection with the character, themselves.