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Original poster

Books with unlikeable characters

139 replies

Booklover23 · 18/12/2024 16:24

Ok so not very Christmassy but I am a fan of an unlikeable protagonist.

Any recommendations for my last book of the year?

OP posts:
Fireworknight · 18/12/2024 21:02

Didn’t particularly like Eleanor in Eleanor Oliphant.

ChocolateTruffleAssortment · 18/12/2024 20:55

Those Patrick Melrose books.

thatdidnothappen · 18/12/2024 20:44

pastapestoparmesan · 18/12/2024 17:18

I read a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book to see why the kids love them so much (I’m a primary school teacher). I literally couldn’t work out which - if any - of the characters I was supposed to be in sympathy with, they all seemed utterly unpleasant.

They’re meant to be what, twelve though? 😅 Twelve year olds are irritating little gits.

Jaws (the novel) is full of unlikeable characters. The shark is quite sympathetic in a way!

Mooetenchante · 18/12/2024 20:38

narniabusiness · 18/12/2024 20:30

This one is a brilliant book. But I do have a soft spot for Olive.

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Absolutely this. I like Olive, but she's clearly marmite to other people. Brilliant book as is Olive Again.

suburburban · 18/12/2024 20:36

Some of Mary Wesley's characters are awful.

Those twins in one of the books

Sussurations · 18/12/2024 20:34

Nellie Oleson in the Little House books

Practically everyone in Oliver Twist, ditto Great Expectations

narniabusiness · 18/12/2024 20:30

LocationChange · 18/12/2024 17:38

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout.

This one is a brilliant book. But I do have a soft spot for Olive.

LoafofSellotape · 18/12/2024 20:29

Bunkbedbunk · 18/12/2024 16:37

Also if you haven't read it
We Need to Talk About Kevin

I was also going to suggest this.

suburburban · 18/12/2024 20:28

@FuckItItsFine

Yes he certainly is

Mooetenchante · 18/12/2024 20:25

The Weekend by Charlotte Wood - 3 main characters all irritating, fab book.

DemonicCaveMaggot · 18/12/2024 20:22

The heroine and her father in The Mysteries of Udolpho both need a good slap.

Martin Chuzzlewit is a jerk

Mooetenchante · 18/12/2024 20:18

Englefield by Sebastian Faulks
How to Kill your Family by Bella Mackie
Both black humour. Very black in the case of Englefield.!

Both Prep and Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfield

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The Great Gatsby

FuckItItsFine · 18/12/2024 20:12

suburburban · 18/12/2024 19:30

Anyone read the Scotland street series, Irene is thoroughly unpleasant

Yes! Bruce is also awful, and reminds me of so many guys I went to uni with at Edinburgh 😅

pastapestoparmesan · 18/12/2024 20:10

Riverswims · 18/12/2024 19:19

I really struggle to see how Greg is “utterly unpleasant” ? other characters can be selfish Roderick or in cloud cuckoo land Mom but not unpleasant? all the years i’ve read/listened them to all 4 can’t think of anything? I’d sympathise with Rowley actually but I love that him and Greg are still a team

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Tbh I can’t remember, it was two years ago, maybe unpleasant is too harsh but I definitely didn’t sympathise with anyone.

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 18/12/2024 20:02

Emma Bovary is also a pretty awful character. Actually the whole book is riddled with awful characters. Charles is a total weed, Homais is the archetypal bourgeois patrician and Rodolphe is a horrible lothario. Oh and Lheureux who drives her fall into covetousness towards her inevitable demise

and yet I love it !

suburburban · 18/12/2024 19:30

Anyone read the Scotland street series, Irene is thoroughly unpleasant

Regr3ts · 18/12/2024 19:21

I don't know if it's been mentioned but notes on a scandal has a few very unlikeable lead characters.

Riverswims · 18/12/2024 19:19

pastapestoparmesan · 18/12/2024 17:18

I read a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book to see why the kids love them so much (I’m a primary school teacher). I literally couldn’t work out which - if any - of the characters I was supposed to be in sympathy with, they all seemed utterly unpleasant.

I really struggle to see how Greg is “utterly unpleasant” ? other characters can be selfish Roderick or in cloud cuckoo land Mom but not unpleasant? all the years i’ve read/listened them to all 4 can’t think of anything? I’d sympathise with Rowley actually but I love that him and Greg are still a team

TooManyCupsAndMugs · 18/12/2024 18:41

My Dark Vanessa. It is very dark subject matter and you feel for her but she is very unlikeable.

HeadNorth · 18/12/2024 18:33

Gillespie and I by Jane Harris - excellent book but chilling, it stuck with me. The narrator is a piece of work and I will leave it at that.

Julen7 · 18/12/2024 18:30

Engleby by Sebastian Faulks

ginasevern · 18/12/2024 18:28

Wuthering Heights. Cathy and Heathcliff are pretty obnoxious.

Original poster
Booklover23 · 18/12/2024 18:28

BasiliskStare · 18/12/2024 18:21

@Booklover23 - I would give The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester a go. Unreliable narrator but quite amusing,

Oh thank you - I enjoyed Capital but haven’t read this one!

OP posts:
Itsaswelltime · 18/12/2024 18:26

The Great Gatsby

NordicwithTeen · 18/12/2024 18:24

Boyparts