I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different. I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists. Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. Today I'm talking about my Bookish Pet Peeves - things that make me grit my teeth when they pop up in a story.
1. The Love Triangle - If it happens in a romance I'm pretty much done with the book. If it's a mystery or fiction and it's low key and resolved quickly I'm okay but if it takes place over multiple books and takes up a lot of page time I'm not a happy reader.
2. Too Many Characters - Especially if they appear only sporadically in the book and then someone who hasn't had page time since the 3rd chapter ends up having a pivotal role in the conclusion.
3. Unlikable Characters AND a Slow Plot - If I dislike every single character but the book has pulled me in and kept me fascinated then I can forgive the fact that I wouldn't get in a lifeboat with that character if it was the only way off the ship. If I really enjoy the characters and their action but the plot is a slow developer I'm enjoying hanging out with my new friends enough that I'm good. If I don't have either I'll be DNFing.
4. The Perfect Character - This isn't a total deal breaker like some of the others but I do find myself rolling my eyes if the primary character knows everything is to know about every single subject that happens to crop up. Found a button at a crime scene - character who has no experience in vintage costume can automatically tell where and when it was produced and what kind of clothing it would be in. Right after they remove bats from the belfry with no prior pest control experience and fix another character's car. All while looking flawlessly gorgeous of course. This is an exaggeration (though I have met a couple of characters over the years where it really isn't) of course but you get the drift.
5. When the Main Character Never Finishes a Job/Goes to Work - So it's no secret that I read a lot of cozies which feature a lot of characters who have day jobs. This isn't a deal breaker for me either but it's always annoying if the character never finishes the job or actually seems to go to work. Most of the time I'm interested in the cozy character's day job so if they never go to their bookstore/bakery or ever finish organizing/renovating a house I'll get annoyed and unless I really love the series it'll eventually drop off my radar.
What are some of your bookish pet peeves?
Unlikeable characters who are not amenable to change...a deal-breaker for me.
ReplyDeleteI also tend to avoid mysteries because I prefer stories with characters over plot.
Too many characters is my main one!! And please, oh please don't introduce a whole new set of characters halfway through your story.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Katherine! Have a good weekend!
Elza Reads
I am OK with unlikeable characters, but must say that after the slew of books published in the last few years with those, I need at least one likeable person. I hate getting to the end of the book, regardless of the thrills in the plot, and thinking - 'I hated all the characters'. I prefer my mysteries or crime novels to have justice in the end or maybe the bad person could get caught and have consequences. A bit of hope for a brighter day. A sleuth that isn't completely depressed and sad at the end. Ha! I think that's why I like the long-running series with lots of characters (and they don't have to be cozies). If nothing else, you can check up on your favorites in the mix. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great list. Too many characters can be a problem for me. I tend to get alot of supporting characters confused.
ReplyDeleteYES to all of these! Another thing that bugs me, in the same vein as the characters who have jobs/own businesses but never actually work, is when characters have no life outside of the main setting (school or work or whatever). Even workaholics and super nerds have outside hobbies and interests. Characters who don't do any work or don't have ANY outside interests never feel very real to me.
ReplyDeleteGreat list, for sure the too many or lots of unlikeable characters and slow plot gets me. I am also allergic to a certain kind of tone in a rom com. I love comedy in a book - thinking of the one I'm reading A Good Day for Chardonnay, it works for me, but others just make me stop reading.
ReplyDeleteI gave up on the Stephanie Plum series after 7 or 8 books because the Stephanie/Joe/Ranger tension got old.
ReplyDeleteA few of these resonate, thanks for sharing your pet peeves!
ReplyDeleteIt's always good to switch things up every now and then. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly agree with all of these; especially love triangles and too many characters. 😜
ReplyDelete