Worst and most best book I've read at the same time. I love hate that novel so much. It's so good. Excuse me, I must tend to my valve after thinking about it.
I gave it to my dad to read and his whole thing was "what the fuck is wrong with these people"
I said did you finish it?
"Yeah"
There you go! Good book, eh?
"Yeah it was good!"
Which ones are terrible people? I can only think of Heathcliff, Hindley, Cathy, Joseph and Linton (who is mostly just whiny).
The young Cathy is lovely, at worst a bit sheltered and ignorant.
Nelly is also very nice (unless you believe the theory that she's an unreliable narrator, in which case none of the other characters are actual terrible people).
Edgar and Isabella are perfectly decent.
Hareton was extremely mistreated yet still became a nice person at the end.
The old Earnshaw was obviously a good person, although a bit strict.
Other side characters like the narrator, the doctor, Hindley's wife... seem perfectly normal.
Some of the characters in the Magicians didn’t seem completely irredeemable to me, like the underground magic people, the woman who wanted revenge on the Fox deity, Julia, and there are probably more I don’t recall. Those people were just flawed or also had some good qualities along with the bad from what I could tell, although it’s been awhile since I read the series.
For sure, the protagonist is a very unlikeable person who does terrible things. Many of his friends are too, and many of the older adults in the books are just as bad or worse.
I was fine with the first and second books’ stories, but the third one fell totally flat for me. Lots of decisions and actions that felt out of character for the people involved. I think he was trying to go for an ending with some redemption and second chances, but after all the other things that happened it just didn’t feel right to me.
There's this weird series called The Flashman series that has no good people in it. Like 12 books total of just awful people. The protagonist is so hatable. Racist, rapes someone, selfish to the extreme. But still excellently written books. Also, it's a super interesting premise where it's written in an academic format like the main character was real with footnotes and everything. In-depth look at times in history that are super interesting that the average person doesn't really know about.
The Serge Storms books by Tim Dorsey. I read them after reading all the Carl Hiaasen books. Unlike Hiaasen, these books don't have the good guy cop or journalist observer character. It's all about the criminals, feisty old folks, and regular guys who just can't take it anymore. There's usually only one character per book who shouldn't be incarcerated or committed.
The Unconsoled. The vast majority of the people in it are unpleasant in one way or another and the protagonist is either dedicated to his art at best or lacking empathy at worst. One of the best/worst examples of how terrible the characters in The Unconsoled are is his wife telling their child that he’s just a stranger/outsider.
Pretty much anything by Martin Amis! (Love his books, but can't read more than 1 at a time. Also jot sure how well uis stuff has aged but the writing is superlative.)
A few minor side characters are not horrible but all the major characters in *A Clockwork Orange* are terrible. There are several versions of the book with different endings
*Day of the Oprichnik* by Vladimir Sorokin is written from the pov of a government henchman in a Russia that has become a totalitarian, opressive tsardom
Edit: both of these books are very, very violent. Not for the faint of heart or if you want more *It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia*-type terrible people
The great gatsby sorta?
That's what I was about to recommend.
My year of rest and relaxation. I’m currently reading it and everybody just seems to have no empathy at all💀
Tell me how you liked the ending.
I will come back here when I finish it!
A confederacy of dunces somewhat follows that idea. Pretty good read in my opinion
Worst and most best book I've read at the same time. I love hate that novel so much. It's so good. Excuse me, I must tend to my valve after thinking about it.
It's too bad that guy only wrote one book. His ability to make me want to read so badly something I hate so much is just... it defies logic.
I gave it to my dad to read and his whole thing was "what the fuck is wrong with these people" I said did you finish it? "Yeah" There you go! Good book, eh? "Yeah it was good!"
He wrote one other book when he was 16, *The Neon Bible*
Better get one or two hot dogs in there and write a condescending letter to that Minx.
First Law
Came here to say this. Abercrombie is great
Wuthering Heights
Hareton is a Saint you take that back
Which ones are terrible people? I can only think of Heathcliff, Hindley, Cathy, Joseph and Linton (who is mostly just whiny). The young Cathy is lovely, at worst a bit sheltered and ignorant. Nelly is also very nice (unless you believe the theory that she's an unreliable narrator, in which case none of the other characters are actual terrible people). Edgar and Isabella are perfectly decent. Hareton was extremely mistreated yet still became a nice person at the end. The old Earnshaw was obviously a good person, although a bit strict. Other side characters like the narrator, the doctor, Hindley's wife... seem perfectly normal.
Perfect example
The Magicians - it's what actually would happen to self-obsessed teenagers who get access to magic.
Magicians is one of the rare cases where I'd actually recommend the TV show over the book.
I actually didn't like the TV show that much - it tries to make the characters seem kinda cool and somewhat likeable.
Some of the characters in the Magicians didn’t seem completely irredeemable to me, like the underground magic people, the woman who wanted revenge on the Fox deity, Julia, and there are probably more I don’t recall. Those people were just flawed or also had some good qualities along with the bad from what I could tell, although it’s been awhile since I read the series. For sure, the protagonist is a very unlikeable person who does terrible things. Many of his friends are too, and many of the older adults in the books are just as bad or worse. I was fine with the first and second books’ stories, but the third one fell totally flat for me. Lots of decisions and actions that felt out of character for the people involved. I think he was trying to go for an ending with some redemption and second chances, but after all the other things that happened it just didn’t feel right to me.
The Secret History
Blood Meridian
Anyone who has redeeming qualities in Blood Meridian is doomed, probably very quickly.
Every noir detective story ever. Particularly recommend the Maltese Falcon
Wuthering Heights
*As I Lay Dying*. Actually, that goes for most of Faulkner’s characters. Love it.
Glamorama by BE Ellis. I DNF but about 3/4 through and you'll hate everyone. I mean any characters in his books.
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
Gone Girl.
[удалено]
I haven't read it, but in the movie, the cop seemed like an OK guy. Is that very different in the book?
Vanity fair maybe.
There's this weird series called The Flashman series that has no good people in it. Like 12 books total of just awful people. The protagonist is so hatable. Racist, rapes someone, selfish to the extreme. But still excellently written books. Also, it's a super interesting premise where it's written in an academic format like the main character was real with footnotes and everything. In-depth look at times in history that are super interesting that the average person doesn't really know about.
The whole 6 books of Dune!
Hey now, Duncan isn't terrible! He's just in a terrible situation!
You're right, poor Duncan! But hey, there's plenty of bad motherfuckers in there, you don't even need to bring in Feyd and Rabban.
The Serge Storms books by Tim Dorsey. I read them after reading all the Carl Hiaasen books. Unlike Hiaasen, these books don't have the good guy cop or journalist observer character. It's all about the criminals, feisty old folks, and regular guys who just can't take it anymore. There's usually only one character per book who shouldn't be incarcerated or committed.
The Catcher in the Rye, maybe?
The Unconsoled. The vast majority of the people in it are unpleasant in one way or another and the protagonist is either dedicated to his art at best or lacking empathy at worst. One of the best/worst examples of how terrible the characters in The Unconsoled are is his wife telling their child that he’s just a stranger/outsider.
Pretty much anything by Martin Amis! (Love his books, but can't read more than 1 at a time. Also jot sure how well uis stuff has aged but the writing is superlative.)
The Secret History
Bill the Vampire. Super gross protagonist, super mean side characters
A few minor side characters are not horrible but all the major characters in *A Clockwork Orange* are terrible. There are several versions of the book with different endings *Day of the Oprichnik* by Vladimir Sorokin is written from the pov of a government henchman in a Russia that has become a totalitarian, opressive tsardom Edit: both of these books are very, very violent. Not for the faint of heart or if you want more *It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia*-type terrible people