Greetings readers!
Look people, we all have those characters we cannot stand. Exhibit A, me with most of SJM’s characters. And sometimes we can’t help but speak out on that dislike, see my case with Exhibit A again. But other times we like the characters that others don’t. Sometimes we like the very not popular characters and well…we all need some good drama in our lives.
I figured I’d out myself and tell you all about the popular disliked characters that I enjoyed! I fully recognize that they are not perfect and yet…I still like them okay gosh!
Scarlett Dragna (Caraval)
Okay, I admit she is not too disliked, but people like to whine about her. They like to judge her for not being as daring, brash and outspoken as Tella which annoys me to a tee!!! Not every single YA heroine has to be fiercely cunning and risk-taking. Is she flawed? Yeah. Do her insecurities and does her shyness get her in trouble? Yeah. But that is who she is! If she grows and becomes more that is amazing, but I truly enjoyed seeing a YA heroine who didn’t have a spark so readily available and that she builds courage.
Alina Starkov (Shadow and Bone)
She is not just a basic bitch people (Have y’all read Red Queen and met Mare???—yup that’s the tea). Look I totally see why people get frustrated with her so easily, I really do. But can a girl catch a break? When you are thrust with all this power and told to be one thing by a really evil attractive dude and at the same time be told to be something else by a whole bunch of other people, you are going to panic! You are going to make bad decisions and that is what happens with Alina. But I really enjoyed her character, her power struggle, and her own battle with her desires.
Malyen (Mal) Orestev (Shadow and Bone)
I fully admit that the man is a fool, but I can’t help it! I really can’t! I know many people do not like him for how he treats Alina, especially in book 2, but he tries his best to make up for it in book 3…! My argument for him is weak, I know. But he’s just a kid as much as Alina is just a kid. He makes poor choices because he doesn’t know how else to compete with all the power that surrounds him. I am fully aware that he was not Alina’s best choice, but he was her choice so…¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I’ll be honest though this is more of me not wanting to be on the losing side of this love quadrangle so…yeah.
Katherine (Three Dark Crowns)
This is mostly in response to a close friend who dislikes Kat very much and me fighting her because I love Kat. My wicked, wicked girl. Bare in mind, I have only read the first two books so I do not know what goes down in book 3 or 4, but all I can say is that I really enjoyed her descent to madness. I loved her evilness!!!! I know what she does is so wrong, but I sense some redeeming qualities, I do!
Chaol Westfall (Throne of Glass)
One of my husbands. And also an SJM character!?! This is a hill I will die on. HE WAS A FREAKIN AMAZING CHARACTER. He was flawed, made poor choices, made great choices. Nehemia’s death was not his fault. His treatment by the other characters is not always fair. Like I get that sometimes he needs a talking to to face the facts, but some times I just wanted to yell at everyone else for treating him horribly for not worshiping the Alien’s ass. He was one of the greatest characters in that series, Alien, Rowan, and Aedion can suck it. *calm down, Rendz* I know he gets a good ending, but I will always–ALWAYS–be bitter. (Especially about the ToD cover)
I hope I didn’t give any of you heart attacks for having some unpopular opinions! But sometimes you can’t help but swim against the current! Now tell me! Who you love that others love to dump on? I want to know all your secrets! Especially with how you deal with the criticism of it all!
Happy reading!
~ Rendz
Oh, I LOVE Alina, in fact, she’s one of my favorite characters, so I’m SO glad you like her as well 😊❤️
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Yay! That is wonderful!
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Tbh I definitely find I prefer Scarlett to Tella. I felt like Tella was a mess most of the time, lol. I still find them interesting in both aspects. I sadly can’t talk for the others – I only met Chaol a few times in book 1, so I can’t like or dislike him yet. Great post! 😊
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Tella has her ups and downs with me, but I do like Scarlett a bit more. And I know I am in the minority for the others esp Chaol lol
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Awesome post! And I totally agree with you: I also liked Scarlett, in fact, Tella was a bit too much for me haha, I didn’t really like her to be honest! And I also loved Alina, I really don’t get why people didn’t like her, she always tried her best, but you can’t expect perfect choices from a teenage girl being thrown into this new character and world… Who I don’t like is Mal.. you are quite right, he wasn’t as terrible in book three but I just couldn’t sympathize with him, I always wanted Alina and Nikolai haha!
I only read Throne of Glass, but I was the only one rooting for Chaol rather than Dorian – Chaol was super sweet and Dorian was too much, to flirty and ahhh just too much for me… I am really excited to continue tho, and as you say, experience the “bitter yet good ending” haha!
happy reading!
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I hope you enjoy them more than I did…but at the same time I do not want you to because I am really just not a fan of Throne of Glass anymore haha
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I totally understand that!
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I liked Katherine in the Three Dark Crowns series too! Granted, she isn’t necessarily likeable, but she’s dark and complex. To be honest, that whole series is dark and complex – I love it!
I would also agree with you on Chaol too. I found him quite frustrating post Heir of Fire because he seemed to be kind of hanging on for no reason and getting in the way, but I really warmed to him after Tower of Dawn.
(P.S. I totally wrote Hair of Fire by accident, which is hilarious)
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Thanks for sharing! hahah typos happen all the time and that was an excellent one!
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with the exception of Mal, I LOVE ALL OF THESE CHARACTERS!! Chaol & Alina are even among my all time favourite characters, I love them, so so much and with all my heart ♥
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