Since I commented on Holland's characterization last week I'll assume this author's note is for me, and I'm touched. 😉
In seriousness, I've written characters I didn't like before, and it's not easy. Hell, I've written characters I DO like - my "hero" character, even, who might have held a few attitudes I disagreed with. One character - European - who was a "hero" character was racist, and, when in his first encounter with Asians he said, "their eyes were malformed," I stopped for several minutes deciding if I was going to keep that horrible line. I did, but the next time I had a viewpoint character encounter Asians for the first time... Well, he was much more egalitarian, and said many nice things about the Japanese. I'll note this was a Cutlass narrative and the same chapter in which I checked with Laura if she'd be cool with me characterizing one of her characters - serving as occupying Governor of Japan (and now NPC) - as having largely assimilated into the Japanese culture. She thought about it, and said, "Sounds good to me!"
But, years later, I still feel icky about the "malformed."
Speaking of icky - Hutchinson! Yeesh. Mostly saying the "right things," but I don't trust him.
Nice hints of exposition. Killed Washington, eh? And what is the "Council of Five?" We probably won't find out, but it's always fun to get those historical clues.
There's always that concern as a writer - or any kind of artist - that people will think the voice in the text IS you. Hence conflating a racist character with the author being racist. I think as long as the wider context of the book shows that isn't the case then you're good, but it's still a worry. Hence coming back to Holland - if a reader randomly decided to ONLY read a couple of Holland-narrated chapters, what would be their take-away?
There's also the complication of 'redeeming' an unpleasant person. There's an inherent risk while trying to make 'complex' and 'nuanced' characters that you take the edge off their unpleasant parts.
Funny thing about Lord Hutchinson: he's already been in the story. I'd completely forgotten that I'd threaded him in waaaaaay back, in the 'Ambassadors' storyline. Well done me.
I'm no historian, but the Council of Five was a real thing, comprising of the people who drew up the US Declaration of Independence: Adams, Franklin, Jeffereson, Livingston and Sherman.
Something about this Lord Hutchinson guy is not right. As the kids say these days, very sus.
Since I commented on Holland's characterization last week I'll assume this author's note is for me, and I'm touched. 😉
In seriousness, I've written characters I didn't like before, and it's not easy. Hell, I've written characters I DO like - my "hero" character, even, who might have held a few attitudes I disagreed with. One character - European - who was a "hero" character was racist, and, when in his first encounter with Asians he said, "their eyes were malformed," I stopped for several minutes deciding if I was going to keep that horrible line. I did, but the next time I had a viewpoint character encounter Asians for the first time... Well, he was much more egalitarian, and said many nice things about the Japanese. I'll note this was a Cutlass narrative and the same chapter in which I checked with Laura if she'd be cool with me characterizing one of her characters - serving as occupying Governor of Japan (and now NPC) - as having largely assimilated into the Japanese culture. She thought about it, and said, "Sounds good to me!"
But, years later, I still feel icky about the "malformed."
Speaking of icky - Hutchinson! Yeesh. Mostly saying the "right things," but I don't trust him.
Nice hints of exposition. Killed Washington, eh? And what is the "Council of Five?" We probably won't find out, but it's always fun to get those historical clues.
There's always that concern as a writer - or any kind of artist - that people will think the voice in the text IS you. Hence conflating a racist character with the author being racist. I think as long as the wider context of the book shows that isn't the case then you're good, but it's still a worry. Hence coming back to Holland - if a reader randomly decided to ONLY read a couple of Holland-narrated chapters, what would be their take-away?
There's also the complication of 'redeeming' an unpleasant person. There's an inherent risk while trying to make 'complex' and 'nuanced' characters that you take the edge off their unpleasant parts.
Funny thing about Lord Hutchinson: he's already been in the story. I'd completely forgotten that I'd threaded him in waaaaaay back, in the 'Ambassadors' storyline. Well done me.
I'm no historian, but the Council of Five was a real thing, comprising of the people who drew up the US Declaration of Independence: Adams, Franklin, Jeffereson, Livingston and Sherman.