Post 9: Likability

            The book I’m reading is Skinny. It has two narrators because it is told from two sisters perspectives. The older sister, Giselle, isn’t really a likeable character so far. She has a lot of problems and doesn’t cope with them well. She is anorexic and she kind of takes advantage of this to act like a brat. Her younger sister Holly is pretty likeable though. She calls Giselle out when she’s being rude and is like a typical teenage so she’s relatable. I think Holly fits in with the argument Wiener was making because she is predictable and easy while Giselle on the other hand is completely different. Readers like characters like Holly. Giselle is an angry female protagonist which is what Messud was saying rarely happens but she likes this type of character.

            I think Holly and the genre of the book, realistic fiction, fit together because usually in a realistic book there is an everyday female protagonist. Holly fits in with this stereotype. Giselle does not however. She is angry and she blames Holly and her dad for a lot of things. She is a little unruly and isn’t really likeable. I like how the author included both characters because I think it adds a lot of depth to the story. It allows you to see how the story would be told for the “typical” view and from an unconventional, real view. It helps you see two sides to the story and gives you a better perspective on the same situation.