Discussion Forums about Books and Reading | What did Cynthia facing constant danger do for the book?
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I didn't like Cynthia as a protagonist from early in the book. I found her dimwitted about her surroundings, getting herself into danger as much as having danger find her. For example, when she meets Sky, she trusts him enough to give him the make, model, and tag number of her unlocked, keys-in-it car? Good grief. And then she is happy that "his friend" has taken care of it? She's not my definition of a strong female character. Or strong any kind of character. I don't think she made the story thrilling, more like frustrating.Ferdinand_otieno wrote: ↑01 Jun 2019, 09:04 Did you feel that a protagonist who seemed to be in ever present danger and just barely survived was good for the book? Did she make the story more thrilling?
I agree. She must be smart to be working for the senator, but she doesn’t have much common sense. Usually, I would say having the protagonist in near constant danger would be thrilling, but I never felt connected enough with Cynthia to feel that way.sarahmarlowe wrote: ↑01 Jun 2019, 19:31
I didn't like Cynthia as a protagonist from early in the book. I found her dimwitted about her surroundings, getting herself into danger as much as having danger find her. For example, when she meets Sky, she trusts him enough to give him the make, model, and tag number of her unlocked, keys-in-it car? Good grief. And then she is happy that "his friend" has taken care of it? She's not my definition of a strong female character. Or strong any kind of character. I don't think she made the story thrilling, more like frustrating.
I completely agree! Cynthia irritated me from the get-go because of her lack of common sense. Why would anyone go to a stranger's house after just meeting him? Sky seemed like he was the domineering type, and Cynthia quickly fell under his spell. I do feel that female protagonist should have included someone with common sense and a backbone, especially considering her job.sarahmarlowe wrote: ↑01 Jun 2019, 19:31I didn't like Cynthia as a protagonist from early in the book. I found her dimwitted about her surroundings, getting herself into danger as much as having danger find her. For example, when she meets Sky, she trusts him enough to give him the make, model, and tag number of her unlocked, keys-in-it car? Good grief. And then she is happy that "his friend" has taken care of it? She's not my definition of a strong female character. Or strong any kind of character. I don't think she made the story thrilling, more like frustrating.Ferdinand_otieno wrote: ↑01 Jun 2019, 09:04 Did you feel that a protagonist who seemed to be in ever present danger and just barely survived was good for the book? Did she make the story more thrilling?
Yes, the great irony of a protagonist who battles conspiracy and cyber-terrorism, but has no problem leaving herself open and vulnerable to strangers who could be killers, adversaries, or worse. It was an unrealistic characterization for the protagonist.Stephanie Elizabeth wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 07:53I completely agree! Cynthia irritated me from the get-go because of her lack of common sense. Why would anyone go to a stranger's house after just meeting him? Sky seemed like he was the domineering type, and Cynthia quickly fell under his spell. I do feel that female protagonist should have included someone with common sense and a backbone, especially considering her job.sarahmarlowe wrote: ↑01 Jun 2019, 19:31I didn't like Cynthia as a protagonist from early in the book. I found her dimwitted about her surroundings, getting herself into danger as much as having danger find her. For example, when she meets Sky, she trusts him enough to give him the make, model, and tag number of her unlocked, keys-in-it car? Good grief. And then she is happy that "his friend" has taken care of it? She's not my definition of a strong female character. Or strong any kind of character. I don't think she made the story thrilling, more like frustrating.Ferdinand_otieno wrote: ↑01 Jun 2019, 09:04 Did you feel that a protagonist who seemed to be in ever present danger and just barely survived was good for the book? Did she make the story more thrilling?
True, you cannot go out on a limb to mention the protagonists set of skills and then destroy your own characterization by making her irresponsible and somewhat lacking in skills you bestowed.heatherashley7 wrote: ↑02 Jun 2019, 15:51 For someone who is specially trained in self defense, I felt the character of Cynthia was very lacking. At one part of the book the author took great care to detail how important Cynthia's training was but for the majority of the book Cynthia appeared incapable, at times downright ditzy. I think the author had a hard time picking characteristics that fit each character and unfortunately that led to a very frustrating read for the readers.
Yeah, I think pregnancy would not be that forgetful. A normal human character would have spent most of their thoughts thinking on it, not placing it as a forgettable footnote to the day.cpru68 wrote: ↑03 Jun 2019, 01:52 I thought her actions of going to a stranger’s apartment was ridiculous. For someone who is fighting terrorism and has training on how to be safe, that was just crazy to me. She seemed weak and not at all a strong female in the book. The constant foreshadowing of a pregnancy was also weird. She kept “forgetting” she possibly could be pregnant. That was so unrealistic to me for a woman who was supposed to be so intelligent.
Mind you, a protagonist who shows reckless abandon on the her safety but suprisingly works against hostiles and terrorists as a business.ArriettyClock wrote: ↑03 Jun 2019, 05:50 I always find it frustrating when lead characters (of either gender) just fall from one danger to another without any linkage in the storyline. It makes for a very disjointed and annoying read. No one's life is like that, so it makes it unrealistic as well as confusing about why this character seems to have a death-wish.
I think it was a conflict between trying to make the protagonist tough and trying to build enough challenges for her. One would make her character responsible and smart while the other would make her reckless and incompitent.ArriettyClock wrote: ↑03 Jun 2019, 05:50 I always find it frustrating when lead characters (of either gender) just fall from one danger to another without any linkage in the storyline. It makes for a very disjointed and annoying read. No one's life is like that, so it makes it unrealistic as well as confusing about why this character seems to have a death-wish.
I think it was a conflict between trying to make the protagonist tough and trying to build enough challenges for her. One would make her character responsible and smart while the other would make her reckless and incompitent.ArriettyClock wrote: ↑03 Jun 2019, 05:50 I always find it frustrating when lead characters (of either gender) just fall from one danger to another without any linkage in the storyline. It makes for a very disjointed and annoying read. No one's life is like that, so it makes it unrealistic as well as confusing about why this character seems to have a death-wish.
Those to characterizations are always in conflict....they rarely work together and in this book it made me question the sanity of the protagonist.Renee_Prior1995 wrote: ↑03 Jun 2019, 23:49 Maybe the author wanted to make a smart character, but also wanted to make her vulnerable enough to be in so much danger