My debut novel, One Tough Cookie, came out three years ago to mixed reviews. It’s women’s fiction with romance about a woman who doesn’t want to fall in love because she’s afraid it will change her.
The main reason for the mixed reception: Karina is too unlikable.
Readers describe Karina as mean, judgmental, and selfish. She’s a bully who doesn’t deserve the love interest’s devotion. Some readers found that she doesn’t change by the end of the book. Others thought her growth arc was too little, too late.
After I singed with my agent, she mentioned that I needed to soften Karina or people would stop reading too early. Once I had a book deal, an editor commented that Karina was too unlikable, that I needed to tweak some scenes. I made some changes but not all. Karina was meant to be mean, selfish, and judgmental. She was meant to be unlikable.
Why I Chose to Keep my Protagonist Unlikable
So why would I write a protagonist that’s so unlikable that readers hate my book? Why didn’t I change her to give my book a better chance to succeed?
Because that’s who Karina is. That’s what the book is about: learning to respect other people’s choices even when you don’t agree with them; accepting other people’s differences; being vulnerable and trusting others with your flaws, knowing that they won’t judge you for them.
This is Karina’s journey, what she has to learn. But if I want her to learn this lesson, she needs to start on the opposite end. She has to be mean and judgmental. How else will she grow and change?
Why Can’t Unlikable Characters Have a Happy Ending?
My book was marketed as romance, and many readers could not relate to Karina. They couldn’t root for her to get her happy ending.
Some reviewers also didn’t like that Karina had friends, that by the end of the book, she got the guy. Apparently, she doesn’t deserve love. She hasn’t grown and changed enough. She hasn’t earned it. Why do female characters need to be punished so much? Why do we romanticize serial killers but get angry when an “unlikable” female character gets love?
If I had ended Karina’s story a different way, one in which she acknowledges she’s not ready for a relationship because she still needs to work on herself, I feel that the book would’ve been better received. This is the same ending that Rebecca Bunch got in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, another unlikable female protagonist. It’s the ending Fleabag got.
But I wanted the happy ending. It felt right to me. Karina owns up to her mistakes. She apologizes and wants to be a better person. She doubts that she can make a relationship work, but she goes after what she wants. And Ian forgives her. He gives her a second chance. Isn’t that the most romantic thing in the world? Isn’t that what love is all about?
My book is not meant to be a romance. It’s not meant to give readers the feels. It’s a character study about a woman who has to deal with past trauma, who has to learn to trust others, who makes mistakes and messes up and tries to make amends. Who receives love that she doesn’t think she deserves, but who instead of punishing herself, takes a chance and goes after it.
In the end it’s fiction. Would a character like Karina truly change? Maybe. Would a relationship like Karina and Ian’s survive? I don’t know. But why can’t Karina work on herself while in a relationship? Why does she have to go it alone?
Expecting Perfection
I get that people don’t want assholes to succeed, especially in the world we live today, where people seem to enjoy being mean just for fun and don’t feel the need to apologize. But don’t you wonder if these type of people feel shame or regret for their actions when they’re in private? Wouldn’t you like to explore that, the inner workings of someone who acts mean on the outside but who may be hurting on the inside, who eventually realizes this and tries to make amends?
I’m not saying my book is perfect or that readers are wrong. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and not everyone has to like my book or Karina. I knew this as I wrote the book, knew that many people would hate her (and haven’t I suceeded as a writer if I can bring out any emotion in a reader, even if it’s a negative one?).
Although I tried to give Karina redeeming qualities and past trauma that could explain why she acts the way she does, for some readers, it wasn’t enough. And that’s okay. I worked on her character arc, and though her growth is slow and maybe too small, it’s there. Most of the conflict in the book is driven by Karina’s actions and reactions. She lies and hurts people. I needed her to keep making mistakes until the end, because, well, where’s the fun in that? I love drama! Yes, other characters may be too forgiving, especially Ian. I tried to give him more of a backbone, but he has a role to play, and his role is to be kind and patient. The fact that he keeps loving Karina despite everything she does to him is what causes her to change. And isn’t that a beautiful thing?
Would I change Karina Knowing What I Know Now?
Despite the negative reviews, many people saw themselves in Karina. And as any writer can attest to, if you touch even one person with your work, you did something right.
I’m proud of my book and I love Karina. Writing her allowed me to explore other parts of myself, those that always wondered “what would it be like to be someone else?” It was fun to have Karina say and do things that I would never think to say or do myself. It was freeing. And isn’t that the cool thing about reading a book? You can “spy” on another person’s life.
I personally don’t need to relate to the protagonist to enjoy a book. My life is boring. I want to explore someone else’s life. I have other books in the works who have similarly “unlikable” characters. So if you’re like me, subscribe to my newsletter to stay up-to-date on my future projects.
You Might Also Like:
- Blog Post – How I Wrote One Tough Cookie
- YouTube Video – Reading my One-Star Reviews
- Guest Post on Women Writers, Women’s Books – Why do Female Protagonists Have to be Likable?
