There are two kinds of writer: those that make you think, and those that make you wonder.
- Brian Aldiss
It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does.
- William Faulkner
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http://www.logicalcreativity.com/...
In the last few weeks it seems as if I have been complaining that I don’t like certain characters in several books and that I must like the characters to keep on reading. Well, that is too simple so I want to explore the thought a bit more, tonight.
Years ago, I remember reading several books that Oprah had recommended and finally asking, “Aren’t there any characters in the world that are even a little bit normal?”
I can read a book with unsympathetic characters and revolting characters if there are a few characters that are interesting. I can even wait to see if a character develops, thaws out, becomes more human or humane, but I have been disappointed sometimes even after I finished the book. In one case, a character I was interested in just disappeared never to be heard from again and in another, he was killed off.
I asked myself recently if it was the fault of first person narrators because three books I really didn’t like were written in that mode.
Looking on my shelves, though, I see that Lindsey Davis’ Falco, Kelly McCullough’s Ravirn, Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, James Church’s Inspector O, and Lee Nichols’ Emma are all first person and I liked them very much. So, I guess that is not the problem.
In Sensible Shoe’s writing group, we discussed “Mary Sues” who are perfect creatures who can do anything and are the boss of everyone and are too good to be true and thus unappealing. In the case of a recent book that I finished I think that did apply. The heroine was an important scholar, could ride a horse wonderfully, play chess, row, run, do yoga perfectly, etc, etc. etc.
A friend mentioned falling in love with a character on the first page of a book. I have done that, too. How does that happen? How do I connect or instantly care what happens to the person? Why do I identify with the character or recognize a kindred spirit or willingly join in the character’s journey?
I just finished a children’s story that is not bad, but I told a friend that if the children had been eaten by wolves half way through the story, I would have just murmured, “tsk, tsk,” whereas I wanted Harry Potter and his friends to succeed with all my heart.
Is it because an author’s first book is not a gripping one that puts me off? I have mentioned three authors here in the past whose first book did not grab me, but I kept on reading the second and the third because I had heard the series really was good. I was rewarded for that, too. I finished the whole series in all three cases and am really glad I kept on reading.
Despite liking a series and having read many books by the author, I have three times said, “Enough. I am done. I am satisfied. No more is needed.” In one case the author died, in one case the author is taking many, many years to write the next book and I am too old to care, and in one the author decided to let one of the team of protagonists fade away and leave behind a character I haven’t really liked very much.
Generally, as a reader, I am willing to like a book, invest time in it, try to know the characters and how they fit in their world and society and be patient, but I have decided that I do want to like at least one of the characters. Life is too short and there are too many other good books out there waiting to be read to suffer through a book where the main characters are just plain ugly in their thoughts and behavior or who are insufferable.
Just my two cents. What do you think?
Diaries of the week
Write On! Making it about what interests you.
by SensibleShoes
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Thursday Classical Music OPUS 65: Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (Part 3)
by Dumbo
http://www.dailykos.com/...
NOTE: plf515 has book talk on Wednesday mornings early.