Fiction (or narrative poetry, or memoir/biography, whatever; anything that tells a story) with a main character who is really odious. Not a likeable rascal or misfit, not a bad person redeemed by incredible coolness --- someone you just absolutely hate as you're reading the book, but somehow you still like the book anyway. (In spite of the character, not because of him/her).
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35 books · 28 voters · list created December 4th, 2008 by Lindsay (votes) .
1 like · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


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Comments Showing 1-2 of 2 (2 new)

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message 1: by J10 (new)

J10 Great idea for a list! Quite some people say they don't like certain books because the main character is "unlikeable". Seriously? Unlikeable characters can be part of or even enable literary masterpieces, as this list already proves.


message 2: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited May 29, 2019 04:56AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) J10 wrote: "Unlikeable characters can be part of or even enable literary masterpieces, ..."

Oh absolutely. I added De Dwerg by Pär Lagerkvist. Piccolino is probably the most unsympathetic character/narrator I've ever come across but the book is great!


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