More than Just a Rating discussion
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When you're irritated instead of amused
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L J wrote: "It's fiction. I get it. No pet was actually impetuously left not cared for. Clothing and accessories were not really borrowed without asking. Memorabilia was not genuinely trashed over missed date. Person in fact did not skip important family and friends event to seasonally reorganize shoe collection. I don't have to be amused or find the character funny or fun to read about."This sentiment irks me. Not your comment, but the implied sentiment behind the "it's fiction" rebuttal to criticism. I see this ALL THE TIME especially on social media comment threads where a discussion of a movie or book that depicts an "ism" and people comment on it. "It's just a movie." or "It's just a book."
Sure, but ART IMITATES LIFE, and therefore the discussion of art and the ways that it reflects reality, even if this PARTICULAR SCENE is made up, is valid and relevant. Not only that, but it's basically the point. GAH.
Anyway, all that is to say, you are completely justified in disliking character traits and tropes in fictional creations, whether it's because you don't like those things in real life, or because you simply don't like reading about them.
I tend to agree with you that meddlesome characters drive me nuts. And the QuIrkY BeSt fRiEnD usually makes me want to rip my eyeballs out. Right now I'm reading a book where the main character has such apparently crippling anxiety around people pleasing that she justifies every single stupid and dangerous decision she makes off of it. "Oh well you know, if YOU'D really prefer to murder me, who am I to impose on your desires - Chop away!"
Annoying. At this point I'm reading to see where the larger mystery of the story goes, but if I was basing my "continue or no" on the main character, I doubt I would have made it past the first page.
Becky wrote: "...the implied sentiment behind the "it's fiction" rebuttal to criticism. I see this ALL THE TIME especially on social media comment threads..."Exactly.
"Life imitates art far more than art imitates life" Oscar Wilde
If the character is one I wouldn't want in my home in real life why give them time, or in the case of a series more time, in my brain.
Becky wrote: "... Annoying. At this point I'm reading to see where the larger mystery of the story goes, but if I was basing my "continue or no" on the main character, I doubt I would have made it past the first page."
When book is more about quirks of character(s) than plot, especially if it's a mystery, I tend to shelve the book as not-my-thing. If the character(s) really displeased me shelve as one-and-done for the series and sometimes the author.
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I try to remember to write especially careful reviews in those kinds of cases, to warn off other readers who are sensitive to the 'isms and the wrong kinds of humor (practical jokes, amiright?).
For example I just wrote a review of a children's book about a child escaping on her own from a war-torn country. It was not grim in tone as the girl just made her way through adventures, but it was not 'funny' like the blurb said. And I said so, in my review: The Day My Father Became a Bush.
Cheryl wrote: "Thank you both for your insights. I absolutely agree. I don't like reading about unpleasant people, especially if we're meant to be amused by them. ..."You're right about practical jokes. I don't like them. Bullying disguised as pranks, no thank you.
About your review: I read and liked.
I remember reading two novels with WWII child refugees. One was intended for teens and was from the point of view of the teen refugee. The other was from the point of view of adults working with orphaned refugee children.
I've read more recent fiction and non-fiction with war displaced and orphaned children and as you say at the end of your review "...no country or ethnicity is ever named. Universal... unfortunately."
What do you do when you are irritated rather than amused by a..."
I tend to read across all genres, including those I don't necessarily love by default. Perhaps my lost disliked characters are those who are "too good to be true", so not necessarily meant to be amusing. The authors who use these characters go on my don't-bother-to-read list. There's a fair amount of authors here!
Mod
Unless you mean too competent to be true, like a Mary Sue. Generally the books written about them are pretty boring.
Cheryl wrote: "Hm. I, otoh, like reading about good people, people who truly do always make an effort. I know a couple of people like that irl and aspire to be a better wife, mother, daughter, and citizen myself...."I like reading about interesting and yes good people. Mary Sue can be boring. They can also be hard to believe. When they show up in a mystery I tend to wonder what they're hiding.
Is Prince Charming the male equivalent of Mary Sue? You know the ones, handsome, rich, intelligent, kind, etc. but still available for some always good reason.
Mod
Mostly those characters I don't want to read about are the ones that are really only stand-ins for an idea of a person: The mother who only has good advice, never jumps to conclusions, and raises seven kids with no diaper rash. The doctor who always gets the right diagnosis. Or even the villain who has zero redeeming characteristics. So I do like to read about heroes, good folks, and inspiring stories; just not an author's lazy conception of a human ideal. So, Prince Charming, exactly. The Prince Charming I fell for tried to help me fix my car, fell on his butt, and broke my headlight on said car the first time I met him. He's still more interesting than average, thirty years later. I'd read a book about him, if I wasn't living it, lol.
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(And for being patient while I catch up on my groups since GR messed up the notification system.)
What do you do when you are irritated rather than amused by a character? I'm accustomed to secondary characters that are supposed to funny irritating me. For instance, I generally don't enjoy the interfering relative trope but if it's not over the top it's tolerable.
What if the supposed to be funny main character is more your idea of irritating villain? I just ran into this again for the third or maybe fourth time in as many months. (I've been trying new to me series.)
In some cases I know it's as much or more me than the character but what about the characters that most would find unacceptable in real life? Leaving on a spur of the moment trip of uncertain duration without even calling someone to take care of pets. Prowling through personal possessions, drawers, closets of another and borrowing things without asking. Vandalizing workspace, home, or car causing irreparable damage for petty reasons. Shoe collection prioritized over people.
It's fiction. I get it. No pet was actually impetuously left not cared for. Clothing and accessories were not really borrowed without asking. Memorabilia was not genuinely trashed over missed date. Person in fact did not skip important family and friends event to seasonally reorganize shoe collection. I don't have to be amused or find the character funny or fun to read about.
If I bail on book or finish by skimming I'm more likely to upvote review with which I agree than spend time writing review. I will rate it, probably 2* indicating that while I understand others may like it I did not.