Quote:
Originally Posted by Yolina
Why should characters be likeable or why would you want to identify with them  That just seems such a weird thing to me. |
I can see it. Although I don't think that being to sympathize with a character means they're 'like' you. Just that you can find something in the human experience you can relate to.
It all depends on the plot, and the scope of the story. If the plot, the world building or what ever else is going on isn't all that engaging, then I need to have something going on with the characters that interests me, or I'll be bored to tears with it. A good plot/story arc will get me past characters I don't care about. Because, of course, not all are likeable, nor meant to be.
For example, for me, Dune fits the bill when it came to wanting to read how it all played out. Great world building, politics, layers of society at war with one another, all the scifi elements... But I didn't particularly care for any of the characters. Many people list the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant for a great world building fantasy, where the main character isn't likeable at all. Wasn't meant to be. But the story still works.
But take a story where you don't like the main characters, and the main story arc isn't doing it for you, then there's nothing left to stay for. I was just reminded of one the other day, that I read to the end years ago, and still remember it as a waste of time. Fantasy, young, spoiled angry young prince forced to flee for his life as his faithful retainer and a few supporters struggle to keep him alive along the way. He was a smart mouthed, mean, ungrateful little bastard at the start, but through seeing the trials and suffering of those around him, how they put his life above their own, turn into a... well, nope, he didn't change at all. At the end he was still the hateful little bastard he started out as.
Ack. In this situation, the trip through the story just wasn't worth it. Let alone wanting to read the second in the series.
Sometimes you don't need to like the characters, but sometimes it's the only thing you're there for. Without it, there's no point to reading it.