Adam and Carly relatable?

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ccundall2130
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Adam and Carly relatable?

Post by ccundall2130 »

In reading about the trials these two have gone through at a relatively young age, do you feel their characters are relatable? Is it easier to believe they would be older in dealing with an apocalypse? Or is it believable because this is a fantasy and anything is possible? It is possible my viewpoint is biased as a middle-aged adult instead of thinking as a young adult. :D
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Post by sevencrows »

I find that them being teens isn't the most believable in the context of what they're facing, but then again, its a YA book, and most YA books have teen protagonists that seem to take on challenges that aren't--in some way or the other--believable in the context of real life. I guess it's a form of wish fulfillment, and having a teenage character makes it more relatable.
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Post by Azura_Cat »

I am a young adult and I don't normally think so deeply about whether it is more believable for a character's age to be different just because of the situation they are experiencing. People can go through a lot of unbelievable things in reality regardless of age after all... Poor decision-making skills or ridiculous logic is more mind-boggling to me (not twisted logic; that can be entertaining), but I suppose I am more lenient when the protagonist(s) are younger. Fantasy makes me more lenient yet, so that is also an aspect that can be taken into consideration. Of course, people focus on different things when they are reading, so others my age could very easily find Adam and Cary to be unrealistic or unrelatable because of one reason or another. I prefer focusing on the character's personality rather than age. If it fits, doesn't result in chaos with every decision, and doesn't make me feel like chucking the book across the room out of embarrassment or anger, I'll accept a lot from a book. :-D Sorry for the long reply. I saw your post and wanted to try to address it...
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Post by Samantha Shinn »

I think they are somewhat relatable, but did not really ponder that while reading (it is not what I normally do when reading). I was a loner when I was a teen, so that part makes it relatable, but I did not think of anyone as animals, just immature for their age (small towns).
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Post by Howlan »

ccundall2130 wrote: 04 Feb 2020, 13:21 In reading about the trials these two have gone through at a relatively young age, do you feel their characters are relatable? Is it easier to believe they would be older in dealing with an apocalypse? Or is it believable because this is a fantasy and anything is possible? It is possible my viewpoint is biased as a middle-aged adult instead of thinking as a young adult. :D
Generally while reading such stories I generally focus less on the reality of all the stuff that happens and focus more on the actions the characters make and how those seem to affect them.
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Post by ciecheesemeister »

One of the issues I had with the story was that everyone seemed to be Hollywood-pretty except for Adam's Dad. I initially thought I'd find Adam relatable because I was considered a "troubled teen" myself. However, I certainly never kidnapped anyone and I never managed to get anyone killed, despite doing very wise and advisable things like driving while high. (Sarcasm, in case no-one recognizes it.) I also never lusted for any of my relatives and, in fact, found it disconcerting that I had a cousin who was a dead ringer for Andy Gibb. I was attracted to Andy Gibb, but not to my cousin.
To make a long story short, I fairly quickly stopped finding Adam relatable because I had the tendency to turn my anger inward and engage in self-destructive behavior. Adam turned his anger outward and saw other people as literal lesser beings. I just wanted people to wake up and stop being so hateful and judgmental when it came to people who were different from them.
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Post by Nym182 »

Not really... any time they had a disagreement or issue with each other (or other characters) they possessed an unnatural understanding of others feelings and pretty much everyone was forgiven instantly... considering that they are teenagers, I didn't really relate to that at all... When I was a teenager I was never so understanding and more prone to hold a grudge for longer than 10 mins
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Post by Nym182 »

Azura_Cat wrote: 04 Feb 2020, 23:02 I am a young adult and I don't normally think so deeply about whether it is more believable for a character's age to be different just because of the situation they are experiencing. People can go through a lot of unbelievable things in reality regardless of age after all... Poor decision-making skills or ridiculous logic is more mind-boggling to me (not twisted logic; that can be entertaining), but I suppose I am more lenient when the protagonist(s) are younger. Fantasy makes me more lenient yet, so that is also an aspect that can be taken into consideration. Of course, people focus on different things when they are reading, so others my age could very easily find Adam and Cary to be unrealistic or unrelatable because of one reason or another. I prefer focusing on the character's personality rather than age. If it fits, doesn't result in chaos with every decision, and doesn't make me feel like chucking the book across the room out of embarrassment or anger, I'll accept a lot from a book. :-D Sorry for the long reply. I saw your post and wanted to try to address it...
That's an interesting take on it! And you make a good point that someone's personallity should be kept in mind a tad bit more than their age! Good call!
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!” HST
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Post by Nym182 »

ciecheesemeister wrote: 05 Feb 2020, 10:05 One of the issues I had with the story was that everyone seemed to be Hollywood-pretty except for Adam's Dad. I initially thought I'd find Adam relatable because I was considered a "troubled teen" myself. However, I certainly never kidnapped anyone and I never managed to get anyone killed, despite doing very wise and advisable things like driving while high. (Sarcasm, in case no-one recognizes it.) I also never lusted for any of my relatives and, in fact, found it disconcerting that I had a cousin who was a dead ringer for Andy Gibb. I was attracted to Andy Gibb, but not to my cousin.
To make a long story short, I fairly quickly stopped finding Adam relatable because I had the tendency to turn my anger inward and engage in self-destructive behavior. Adam turned his anger outward and saw other people as literal lesser beings. I just wanted people to wake up and stop being so hateful and judgmental when it came to people who were different from them.
Do you think the author tried to make him as troubled as possible to make his "redemption" more intense? I think you make an interesting point that the author could have given him that troubled persona without making him into such an extreme character and that extremeness actually detracts from his relatability.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!” HST
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Post by Nym182 »

Samantha Shinn wrote: 05 Feb 2020, 00:46 I think they are somewhat relatable, but did not really ponder that while reading (it is not what I normally do when reading). I was a loner when I was a teen, so that part makes it relatable, but I did not think of anyone as animals, just immature for their age (small towns).
I definitely thought that him referring to other people as animals was leading up to him being a psychopath!
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Post by Amy747 »

I agree that teenagers who forgive quickly and are all good looking, is a little too perfect for reality but at the same time, the fantasy aspect does allow the author to make the characters a little unrealistic. However, this does run the risk of making them less relatable.
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Post by Nym182 »

Amy747 wrote: 12 Feb 2020, 07:47 I agree that teenagers who forgive quickly and are all good looking, is a little too perfect for reality but at the same time, the fantasy aspect does allow the author to make the characters a little unrealistic. However, this does run the risk of making them less relatable.
That is a good point, both that the fantasy aspect can be a wee bit more forgiving about an author's liberties AND about how it makes them less relatable.

I was definitely NOT that forgiving or well composed when I was their age... or now :no-spoil: :no-spoil:
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Post by Juliet+1 »

I don't think either Adam or Carly are relatable, but they don't have to be, because this is a fantasy. But they absolutely do have to be believable, and I think they are. Each acts, thinks, and communicates in a way that is reasonably consistent as the story moves along. Their characters/personalities develop, but they don't jump wildly around and become a different person from one chapter to another.
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Post by Corina Elena »

It's a YA book...I mean, they are supposed to be relatable up to a point, right? And the rest is supposed to make us dream and escape. I think any character in any of this type of books is relatable just enough to make the reader enjoy the book and envision themselves inside the action, but fantastic enough to be something special in comparison to our day to day lives
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Post by freshbook »

I think they are relatable in a sense of saving their kind. On a non-mutant standpoint, it's hard to belief that teenagers would have such proper grammar and cook elaborate meals.
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