Do you think some authors are way too precious about their characters?

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

The ONE thing that kills my enjoyment of books is when a character is richly built, allowed to have some serious flaws, and put in an unwinnable (or, at the very least, very harsh) situation, then the author invents a half-baked excuse to save them or spare them punishment almost completely, effectively undoing everything that came before that moment in a way that's usually not even clever.

Like... "Yeah, you just confessed some major crimes on a letter home. A letter that's implied to be read by staff before reaching its destination. Don't worry, though! You have suffered enough! No juvie for you! Here's a gold star for honesty!". <--- Not a literal example, but almost.

I swear, some of the best stories I have ever read refuse to hold their leads accountable even after portraying in the worst light ever to sell a "breakthrough" arc later. It just doesn't work for me and it makes me feel cheated of my time after enjoying a good story throughout the damn book.

Do you have any examples of this?

 

[Clippy]

Gandalf coming back after the fight with a balrog.

 

[Sir Auriel of Lionel]

That's literally the entire problem with authors in this romantasy genre I dipped my toes in. I'm trying try something new with something familiar in my love for fantasy and no one is willing to kill off anyone in this petty mean girl scene of fantasy high school or political sphere that clearly no one has done research besides a few GOT episodes not long war dramas.

 

[Nebulon_Galaxy]

Miyajima really loves Chizuru so much, he is either stalling the manga or doesn't know how to end the series. Can't blame him, Chizuru is a cute!