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Q&A Does the reader need to like the PoV character?

I think the reader has to like the POV character. Everything is seen through their eyes and thoughts and feelings. If those are repellent to the reader, they cannot identify, and without that, I th...

posted 5y ago by Amadeus‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-19T22:13:43Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/43848
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T11:27:07Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/43848
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T11:27:07Z (over 4 years ago)
I think the reader has to like the POV character. Everything is seen through their eyes and thoughts and feelings. If those are repellent to the reader, they cannot identify, and without that, I think they will give up on the story.

Maybe there are writers out there that could pull it off. I know I've seen alternating **chapters** from an evil antagonist's point of view, but these just raised the stakes for the MC, let us know the villain had anticipated their plan and the MC was walking into a trap. But you see, in that case, we began with a likable MC, and that is who we cared about, and that is who we wanted to see succeed.

I don't think an entire novel from the villain's POV would ever let us engage with the innocents or heroes in the story and see their personality enough to keep going. At least, I would not be the audience for that.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2019-03-21T10:09:51Z (about 5 years ago)
Original score: 3