Carly - Mary Sue?

Use this forum to discuss the February 2020 Book of the month, "Opaque" by Calix Leigh-Reign
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gilliansisley
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Re: Carly - Mary Sue?

Post by gilliansisley »

arigray9 wrote: 29 Feb 2020, 01:14
gilliansisley wrote: 07 Feb 2020, 14:14 Funny you should mention this! I actually though Adam was more of a Mary Sue character in this story, but just a testosterone, male version.

He's a loner type who hates people, and yet he's super popular and everyone thinks he's amazing. No matter how horribly he treated people in his life, people are like "oh, that's okay." They get to Afarax and even though everyone has special powers, HIS special powers are EXTRA special. Bleh. I really disliked him as a character, ever since he basically murdered Terry.

I'm still waiting for that poor girl to be brought to justice, because apparently no one cared that she went missing, and Carly was entirely unphased by the fact that he confessed to kidnapping her with chloroform, almost raping her, and facilitating her death?

Yeah, okay. That's realistic.
I never thought of Adam as a Mary Sue, but since you mentioned it, it seems so clear. I honestly don’t love his character development, and I agree it’s not realistic for people to like him because he’s essentially a rude loner. I initially liked Carly, but after seeing her apathy towards what happened with Terry, she’s mediocre at best. I don’t understand how someone so seemingly morally upstanding could possibly condone this behavior. It’s almost as if she perceived it as normal and not something to be disgusted by, something no real person would ever think of something so terrible. One could argue they’re both Mary Sues in different ways, but whatever the case, I personally am not a big fan of their characterization.
You make a really good point here. Carly I think makes Adam even more of a Mary Sue, because she basically worships the ground he walks on, despite his behaviour being atrocious and unacceptable. The whole "love fixes his psychopathic nature" is such a dangerous narrative to be giving to young girls who believe in true love.
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Post by Alice Festo »

Carly is perfect and believe there is good in everyone, thats why she gives second chances this trait is good but it can be dangerous to her if she comes upon an evil and manipulative person. She is lovable, social, has the greatest power of the seven blood lines, obedient every mothers wish for a perfect daughter. But these traits are also her flows seen by the way she gets hurt after slapping Kane though she is the one wronged.She burns Adam Den to clear any evidence, she forgives easily and she too like her mother makes decisions without consoling anyone when emotional.
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Post by Fi Zoraa »

Nym182 wrote: 06 Feb 2020, 13:52
Howlan wrote: 06 Feb 2020, 13:14 About Carly fixing Adam, I think that she did not fix him per se. Adam felt attracted to her and thus he felt that he could develop affection to a person besides his mother, which made him feel more normal than he thought himself to be. I think that fixed Adam and not Carly.
But still, that type of "development" in that short of time isn't realistic. I think that time of change can only be achieved over years of therapy... not by getting a crush on the new girl.

Yep. Even taking into account the fact that they synced, it was too instantaneous. I understand wanting to be a better person because of a partner, but that was really quick.
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Post by Fi Zoraa »

Nym182 wrote: 11 Feb 2020, 12:27
Salma_asa wrote: 11 Feb 2020, 08:59 Yeah! Carly is a nearly perfect character. However she does have some flaws. I think she indulges kane's feelings towards her. If she took matter in seriously beforehand, kane could avoid this heartbreak.
She seemed to rush judgment when she planned vikki's kidnapping.
those are true points.

However, after the whole Kane thing happened, she immediately felt bad about it and that issue got resolved very quickly and with pretty much no drama. Considering these are highschoolers, that doesn't seem likely.

I also think she enjoyed the Vikki interrogation a little too much... But keep in mind, she has been running from Vikki's family for years so I guess I could kinda understand her judgement.
I don't know whether to put her obliviousness to Kane's feelings down as her naivete as someone who hadn't been in a relationship before or if it was clear that being that close to Kane could be misconstrued by him. I can understand her and Dauma really getting into the interrogation because her father was kidnapped.
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Post by Barbie_sidhu »

Where Dauma was shown to be a lady boss Carly's character was not that strong.
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Post by Banette »

I think Carly did have flaws, but the book portrays them in a way that doesn't show how dangerous they can be. I think Carly is way to accepting of other characters negative aspects and in real life that would be a very dangerous trait to have, but the story never shows that, and even romanticizes it as times. This paired with her power boost at the end of the book definitely gives off major Mary Sue vibes, and I wonder if she was written to be an author insert.
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