Book Rant: Unbearable Main Characters

Fictional characters, like real people, are not perfect. Characters have their own flaws and weaknesses that play a vital role in developing their character in the story. Oftentimes a character’s shortcomings are more exciting to read about than their successes as they not only make the character more relatable but also give the readers something to look forward to: that is, the character overcoming their flaws and learning from their mistakes. That, I believe, is a testament to what makes a good main character – their ability to grow as a person.

A protagonist can be unlikable yet still make an excellent character so long as their flaws are, in one way or another, addressed and eventually worked on. A protagonist who is unlikable and whose flaws are largely unacknowledged or denied (particularly by the character in question) leading to no character progression, are unbearable.

Unbearable main characters can ruin a story completely.

Readers, meet fifteen-year-old Lana Spiggs of Dyan Sheldon’s And Baby Makes Two. Lana is the youngest daughter of single mother Hilary Spiggs. According to Lana, she is severely oppressed by her mother’s tyrannical ways. Why, her mother doesn’t allow her to wear adult clothes and make-up and nags her to do household chores. Her problem basically is that everyone around her treats her like a child despite the fact that she is already fifteen years old. Clearly, she is a victim of a great injustice. The only person in the world who understands her is her adult boyfriend Les who is the epitome of maturity and sophistication. When Lana accidentally gets pregnant with Les’s child, she is ecstatic. Obviously the best way to prove to everyone – especially her mother – that she is an adult is to have a child. At fifteen. Ingenious!

alternate title: how not to write about  teenage pregnancy

…talking about books

I haven’t posted anything here in a long time and, truth be told, I even forgot I had a book blog. You can blame last semester’s workload for that. I knew that my final year in college wasn’t going to be a cake walk but I clearly underestimated the amount and intensity of the torture that was the first semester.

Moving on. Today I want to talk about something that I’ve been thinking about for a while now. I want to talk about my love for talking about and reading about books. I will also probably touch on my brief and disappointing experience in a local book club and why I couldn’t get invested in the club as much as the others did. I can’t seem to talk about my love for books without mentioning that short episode in my life. So, yeah… this post is going to be a doozy.

Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson

Book type: standalone novel

Genres: Young Adult, Slice of Life, Drama, Coming of Age
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Summary: Meet Kate Malone-straight-A science and math geek, minister’s daughter, ace long-distance runner, new girlfriend (to Mitchell “Early Decision Harvard” Pangborn III), unwilling family caretaker, and emotional avoidance champion. Kate manages her life by organizing it as logically as the periodic table. She can handle it all-or so she thinks. Then, things change as suddenly as a string of chemical reactions; first, the Malones’ neighbors get burned out of their own home and move in. Kate has to share her room with her nemesis, Teri Litch, and Teri’s little brother. The days are ticking down and she’s still waiting to hear from the only college she applied to: MIT. Kate feels that her life is spinning out of her control-and then, something happens that truly blows it all apart. Set in the same community as the remarkable Speak, Catalyst is a novel that will change the way you look at the world.

My thoughts:

L.H Anderson has been my queen since I read Speak some odd years ago. My love and adoration for Anderson grew more after reading her other books (Wintergirls and The Impossible Knife of Memory). So when I saw another of her works hiding in plain sight in Booksale a couple of months ago, I jumped for joy. I got even more ecstatic when I found out that Catalyst is a bit of a companion novel of Speak. Melinda Sorino (the main protagonist of Speak) doesn’t play a vital role in Catalyst but she did make a cameo appearance that made my heart swell. The same way Stan Lee’s cameos make me feel, only much, much better because Melinda was actually herself in the cameo while Stan’s cameos are different characters each time.

A quick skim in Goodreads showed me that not a lot of readers enjoyedCatalyst. They mostly didn’t like the way the story flowed and how it ended. Kate’s attitude also seemed to put them off. Every reader is entitled to their own opinion, of course, but I found it strangely funny how most of their problems with Catalyst were the reasons why I loved it. I was able to relate to Kate’s college problem a lot deeper so maybe that’s the main reason I enjoyed the book. See, I was kind of one of the “smart ones” back in high school. You know, the ones specially picked out by teachers, the ones constantly asked for homework answers by classmates, the ones vaguely believed to be the ones to not have any trouble getting into and surviving college. A lot like Kate, really. But applying for college was still a terrifying experience, regardless (or because) of the confidence of my family and my peers. The college I applied to wasn’t all that strict in requirements and their entrance exam was mostly for posterity’s sake but I was still nervous. There was a chance I wouldn’t get in, after all, and that slim chance terrified me all throughout the summer. It would have been disastrously painful if that were to happen too because then my and everyone’s assumption that I’m “smart” would be proven wrong. Everything I’d come to believe in would fall apart, starting with my already flimsy self-esteem. So reading about Kate and her anxieties, it reminded me of those days.

Possible spoilers ahead…

Reactants (the Characters)

Anderson is mind-blowingly great at creating and developing her characters. Kate was smart, witty, sarcastic, and realistic. Her Good Kate and Bad Kate personas were quite interesting to read and easy to relate to. With the way she works and studies, it’s little wonder why she’s so high-strung. Pretty much like most overachieving seniors. It was also refreshing to read about a main character who doesn’t like literature and writing. Most MC’s live for words and/or the arts. Seeing Kate struggle in English class and admit that her writing desperately needed improvement, it was nice for a change.

The other characters were also quite fleshed out. Kate’s friends were pretty much the basic misfit squad though but it wasn’t too cringey. I rather liked Sara. Mitch – Kate’s boyfriend – I didn’t like so much. Teri, on the other hand, I’m quite torn. To say that her personality was “rough around the edges” would be an understatement. She was gruff, often hateful, brutally honest, and mostly just really messed up. A tough cookie she was, that Teri Litch, but I admit that there were times when I liked her. Considering all she went through, she’s pretty strong. Though sometimes she could be too strong, but that also made sense.

I particularly loved how Teri wasn’t just the token “broken character” that the MC/Kate had to fix so that Kate could realize her own problems and fix them. Teri was the catalyst but also her own person, which was great.

Atomic structure (the Writing)

Like in Speak, this book was narrated by the main character. In this case, it was Kate’s voice that narrated the story. You could really tell Kate’s personality in the text. I adored the chemistry metaphors and references, even though I had quite a time trying to remember what this or that particular jargon meant. Anderson killed it in terms of writing in Catalyst. It was so easy just losing myself in the story because the writing just carried me away.

The pacing was also great, not so fast that you’d lose track of the story and the characters, and not so slow that you end up getting frustrated at the story and the characters.

Chemical reaction (the story)

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I loved every page of it. There was a sense of realism in the way the plot unfolded. I really appreciated how almost none of Kate’s problems were resolved in the end. Some readers may have preferred Anderson to tie the lose ends of the plot (like maybe give Kate the satisfaction of getting into MIT after all) but the openness of the last page fit the story better. Sometimes things just won’t work out for you. Sometimes things can seem hopeless and bleak no matter how you look at it. Sometimes you just need to sit down for a while and let yourself feel and remember, even if it’s painful. That’s just how it is with life. At least that’s what I got from the ending.

However, it was perfect how Kate and Teri resolved to fix Teri’s house, with Kate even promising to put college on hold until the job (and her promise) is finished. That was really sweet. And so metaphorical. Fix the house = help Teri fix her life and get Kate back on track.

This book is definitely a must read.

Books and Movies (A Simple Complicated Relationship)

Whenever a book gets a movie adaptation, I – and I’m sure I’m not the only one – always cross my fingers and hope for the best. If not, just something forgivable. Movie adaptations are a hit-or-miss, especially if the book is really popular. Hardcore bookworms, like myself, condemn the movie industry for even considering turning our favorite books into films that will, more likely than not, disappoint fans all over.

Most of the greatest movies ever released were adapted from equally – though probably more – great books. However, there are different levels of what makes a good movie adaptation.

For instance, Mario Puzo’s The Godfather received an almost faithful movie adaptation. Francis Ford Coppola, the director, barely changed anything from the book. Sure, some minor characters and minor characters’ side stories weren’t included but, considering how the film was already 2 hours and 58 minutes long, I think it was a reasonable change.

  

The Godfather was a great adaptation and a faithful one. A rare combination.

Not all good movie adaptations  were completely faithful to the books though. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series had had some serious changes and omissions that, besides annoying the fans, changed certain characters and how they were perceived.

Minor recurring characters like Peeves the ghost and Bill and Charlie Weasley (Ron’s brothers), and subplots like Hermione’s S.P.E.W. were not included  in the movies. Though their omissions were duly noted by the Potterheads, the main storyline of the series wasn’t too affected. In any case, the movies were great, unfaithful and lacking they may have been.

Some unfaithful movie adaptations, on the other hand, work. The Chronicles of Narnia movies, for example, were incredible movies yet they diverted quite far from C.S. Lewis’ original books.

There have only been three books adapted into movies (so far) and though the first movie followed the first book quite closely, the succeeding books had some serious changes. Despite the differences from the book though, the movies (Prince Caspian and The Dawn Treader) didn’t bring the books any shame at all. In fact, I’d say that the movies rather improved the stories. Lewis’s original books weren’t nearly as detailed as the movie adaptations so the directors had little to work with. Prince Caspian, the book, was also quite slow at the beginning so it was little wonder that they had to alter the story to make a more entertaining movie. Same goes with The Dawn Treader. The only thing that really bothered me about the movies was the Caspian/Susan thing. That was weird.

Straying from the original books (but still followed the main storyline) worked beautifully with the Narnia movies. Readers of the books could forgive the minor and major changes because, when it comes down to it, they made sense. However, that wasn’t the case with the Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief movie.

  

Admittedly, the Lightning Thief movie was a good movie, the special effects and cinematography saw to that. The thing is, it wasn’t a good movie adaptation. The film basically changed nearly everything in the books, including Percy’s age. In the first book, Percy was only 12, a child. In the movie, Percy’s already a teenager which, fans of the book series will tell you, ruins the series’ original plot. As a standalone movie, perhaps Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief can be forgiven for its extreme desecration to Riordan’s books but then… they made a second movie.

Suffice to say, it was also a terrible movie adaptation. And seriously, why didn’t they just make Annabeth blonde in the first place? Her hair color is a pretty important factor in the story.

There is a difference between a good movie adaptation and a good movie. A bad movie adaptation need not necessarily be a bad movie and a good movie adaptation isn’t always a good movie.

However, no matter how great the movie, I’d almost always say that the book is better because, let’s face it, it is.

Classic Jane

I’m not an avid fan of classic books because I often find their texts too difficult or tiring to read, though I appreciate them nonetheless. Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, on the other hand, really caught my attention. Initially, I got into Jane Eyre because the copy I found in Booksale was too beautiful to pass up. Splinter‘s  cover design of Jane Eyre made me love the novel even before reading the story. It was a case of “judging a book by its cover” only with a happy ending.

When I did start reading Bronte’s novel, I was surprised at how easily I got into the story and how much and how fast I grew fond of Jane Eyre. The eponymous heroine was smart, witty, headstrong, practical, and sweet, though a bit stoic sometimes. It was nice reading about Jane’s life from childhood until adulthood.

Another thing I liked about Jane Eyre was how insightful it was about the era that Bronte lived in. Women were given very little freedom to do anything. They weren’t even allowed to dream or want anything more than their social class permitted them. Jane was very rebellious though, in retrospect anyway. She refused to accept the treatment she got and, even though she was abused by her aunt and, later on, her school teachers, she remained optimistic in life. It was interesting to read about her thoughts.

I’m not really that fond of romance novels but Jane and Mr. Rochester’s blooming relationship was pretty enjoyable to read about. They’re witty interactions were one of my favorite parts of the book.

Jane Eyre really inspired me to read more classic books, even if they’re really long and wordy and difficult to understand. No wonder the book is still famous decades after it’s publication. It’s really worth the trouble, even if the author would seem to drone on and on about the littlest things.

Waiting for Winter(s)

Book series spanning for more than three books are difficult to follow. However, if the series has a particularly incredible story that needs more than one book, sometimes seven books seems way too short (us Potterheads are still hopeful for an eighth, ninth, and more).

Most of the time though – especially if the series is new or if the author takes his/her time in publishing the succeeding books – the wait is the hardest part. It’s painful to have to wait for a year or two (or five!) to find out what happens to your favorite characters. Right now, I’m currently waiting – patiently – for two books from particularly epic series.

Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer
I didn’t expect to love this book series as much as I do now. Marissa Meyer’s debut novel (and first book of the Lunar Chronicles series) Cinder took me by surprise. Chronicling the life of sixteen-year-old Cinder Linh, a prodigious mechanic and a cyborg with a mysterious past, Cinder is set on a post-apocalyptic world in New Beijing. Unlike most dystopian settings though, The Lunar Chronicles leaned more on science fiction, which was why I did not think that I’d get into the series. Sci-fi is strange and unfamiliar territory but Meyer convinced me otherwise. Winter, the last book, is set to be published this November and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

The Winds of Winter (A Song of Ice and Fire #6) by George R.R. Martin
Same with The Lunar Chronicles, when I picked up Martin’s first book, A Game of Thrones, a few years ago, I was wary and not too confident. The girth of the book and the genre (high fantasy) intimidated me but the flood of praises and awards the series was getting convinced me to give the books a chance. Best decision ever. With the HBO TV adaptation, it was easy to get sucked into Martin’s world (especially since it involved dragons). Unfortunately, though Martin announced and promised that the sixth book, the second to the last book, would come out earlier this year, The Winds of Winter was nowhere to be found. Even now, Martin still isn’t making any promises. Martin has released snippets of the first few chapters though. A fan-made book cover has made the rounds on fandom sites. Fans like me do respect the amount of time and effort an author needs to write such a great novel but we can’t help but shake our fist and politely demand the man to write the sixth book faster. Winter is coming… but not soon enough.