Picture it. You buy a new book, go to your fave reading spot with a nice cup of your favorite tea, etc. and start reading. You get totally hooked on the hero or heroine. You're so into them, you can't wait to meet their love interest thinking that this is going to be smoking hot, when it happens. The other hero/heroine makes an appearance and all you can think is, WTH? You convince yourself it's just the beginning, that this character just needs to develop some more, by the end, they'll change and be worthy of the character you loved right from the start.
Or you completely fall for an awesome secondary character and you wait in breathless anticipation for the author to get around to giving them their own story. Surely their hero/heroine is going to be the absolute perfect person, matching them in every way. Wrong!You can't even believe the words on the page. This is the hero, the heroine, the soul mate of my favorite character?!NOOOOO, your mind screams. What is the author thinking? How could they have created such an amazing character and then paired them with this, this, utterly unworthy person. Or worse, when it's not even totally awful, just meh. Like they didn't seem to care enough about this character to even give them a strong partner.
My reading experience is ruined right then. I feel so disappointed, betrayed, that throwing the book against the wall a hundred times doesn't even help. I am so riled, so furious, I vow to never buy another book from the author. It's an affront to my sensibility, to what I hold dear. And a big waste of money and time.
I was inspired to write this because I am currently involved in a story with a truly awesome hero. His love interest, on the other hand, is a complete dud. This guy is so weak-willed, he can't rouse himself to do even the most menial of tasks. I know it's only the beginning and that he'll probably grow and change, but I'm far enough in to be afraid of the outcome. My only option is to read ahead, but I HATE doing that. It's an inviolate rule I have, to let story unfold, but this guy is so bad, I am tempted beyond reason to break my code. And this is an author I can always count on for great characters. It's like he jumped the shark.
Has this ever happened to you? What did you do? Take the book back? Burn it? Write a nasty letter to the author?
Great post, Melissa. Yes, it has happened to me. The only thing I did was throw the book in the recycle bin because I didn't want to plague anyone else with the damn thing.:)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sloane! The recycle bin is a great idea.
ReplyDeleteHi Melissa,
ReplyDeleteI feel for you, and it's happened to me. I usually start skimming the book to see if the characters improve, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. If I can't get through the book, I sit down an start to figure out why - what did the author do that turned me off so much. And like Sloane the book goes into the recycle bin.
Characters are what make the story and if you don't like the hero or heroine then the story is not going to work for you.
Great post.
Thanks, Marie. Characters are definitely what makes the story. I can suspend disbelief or follow along with a thin plot as long as the characters are great.
ReplyDeleteI've had that happen, too. Usually it works itself out. I get that 'aha!' moment and see where the author is headed, and can appreciate the twist, or hook, or outright chicanery they just pulled on the unsuspecting reader - me :)
ReplyDeleteHi KC! Good to see you. I know what you mean, I've had book where I started off hating a character then there's that moment where you get an insight to them that changes your opinion. I hope thats happens with the story I'm currently reading, otherwise, it's off to the recycle bin like Sloane says.
ReplyDelete