Is It Fair to Leave a Bad Review Due to Disliking the Main Character?

When it comes to leaving a review for a book, many factors can influence our opinions. One such factor that often sparks debate is character dislike. In particular, is it fair to leave a bad review if you strongly dislike the main character and it affects your reading experience?

Approaching Book Reviews Objectively

My approach to book reviews tends to be objective rather than subjective. I do not base my reviews on whether I like or dislike the main character or any other character. Instead, I focus on what I enjoyed about the book and highlight areas that could be improved. For me, criticism of technical aspects such as factual errors, incorrect word usage, typos, grammatical and punctuation problems are more relevant. If my issues stem from personal dislikes, I might choose not to review the book at all.

Disliking a Character: A Matter of Relatability and Writing Quality

The primary role of a main character in a novel is to be relatable and well-written. The main character is the one that readers will spend the most time with during the book, so it's important for them to be at least somewhat likeable. If a character is poorly constructed, this can significantly detract from the overall reading experience.

There are two main scenarios in which a dislike for the main character might justify a negative review:

Poor Character Relatability: If the main character is not relatable at all or is poorly written to the point where their actions and decisions make no sense, this can be a legitimate reason for leaving a bad review. Personal Dislike: If the character lacks likability due to personal choices or traits, as long as other readers might not share this same distaste, it's often more helpful to mention individual characteristics and provide an explanation rather than giving an overall negative review.

Rating Novels and Finishing the Book

Personally, I never rate a novel for less than 3 stars. If I couldn't finish a book due to poor writing, editing issues, or other problems, I would not bother to leave a review. However, if I did manage to finish it, even with some flaws, I would still leave a review that is helpful and non-judgmental. Criticizing the book in a demeaning or mean-spirited way is something I strongly discourage.

Conclusion

Whether or not it's fair to leave a bad review due to hating the main character ultimately depends on the nature of the disapproval. While personal dislikes can be subjective, poorly constructed characters can significantly impact the reading experience. In such cases, leaving a constructive review can help improve the quality of the next editions and provide valuable feedback to the author.

Tips for Writing a Positive and Constructive Review

Focus on elements like the writing style and the plot. Provide specific examples of what worked and what didn't. Avoid personal attacks or mean-spirited comments.

Remember, your review can make a difference in someone else's decision-making process, so it's important to be both honest and respectful.