Heroines
I've been reading various blogs and book reviews that have centered on criticisms of the heroine and it's interesting to consider what a reader wants from the heroine. Generally the majority seem to be in favour of a flawed heroine--especially physically. Supermodels need not apply. On the flipside, I've read several reviews that claimed the fault of the book was in a heroine who is too immature. That got me wondering, because I like to see emotional growth in both the hero and heroine, and if a heroine is immature in some way in the beginning, then she has matured by the end of the book. I'm not that interested in a heroine whose only flaw is falling in love with a man who isn't quite ready to reciprocate those feelings. So perhaps the criticism is that the heroine doesn't grow emotionally. I suspect, though, that there is a desire for the heroine to be flawed yet perfect; ie, her flaws are lovable and make her more worthy. I'd love to read a heroine with a flaw that's just plain flaw-ish. We've all got them, heroines included. Right now I'm writing a rather flawed heroine and I'm wondering if I can pull her off. At the end of the day, no one wants to read about someone she doesn't like.
posted by Kate Hewitt at
3:09 PM
