How likable is the narrator?

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Post by lavkathleen »

Dominik_G wrote: 14 Jan 2021, 03:08 I don't particularly like her, but I do think that — to a large degree — she is the "product" of her upbringing, environment, and culture. Also, we get to see later on that she can be very caring and compassionate. I did find her chapters very unnatural-sounding, though. I didn't like the way she narrated the story because I couldn't shake the feeling that "nobody thinks like this." I mean, I don't know about other people, but I don't usually describe situations, etc. with elaborate and perfectly articulated sentences in my head. This didn't let me get as close to her as it was probably intended.
I'm pretty sure that this is how first-person perspective works. :lol2: Yes, not a lot of people thinks like this, but for the sake of storytelling, it has to be detailed and articulate. But you might also be confusing the parts that used first-person perspective with the parts that used the third-person one. It happened to me, although at some point it didn't matter who's narrating anymore—the story was flowing smoothly and I still understand the plot and where it was taking me.
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Post by Ahbed Nadir »

lavkathleen wrote: 23 Jan 2021, 02:50
Ahbed Nadir wrote: 08 Jan 2021, 06:00 From the very beginning her attitude was a turn-off to me. She felt unnecessarily condescending and i didnt like that all.
Yeah. But, going in, did you not know that she was a daughter of a prince? Even as a woman in that time, she was a person with much privilege and power. Not to mention, she was usually talking to servants. This is the kind of attitude that an environment like that breeds—it was expected.
Yes, one could explain away her condescending attitude as a result of a life of privilege and royal upbringing, however, it does not completely absolve her as she is still expected to have some manners and not simply regard everyone as lower than her.
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Post by Josephe-Anne »

The story begins over 100 years ago. So, things were different back then.

I actually like the narrator, Lady Sougyon. She was telling the story from her upper class perspective. She was raised among the royalty, so her attitude and outlook on life reflected that. And I don't think she treated others badly compared to the way most people of her status did. After all, she paid her servants when other aristocrats made these people work for free. Also, she took in April's daughter when she could have left her on the streets.
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Post by Ahbed Nadir »

While I agree with you that the author was quite arrogant, one might be able to explain this away when one looks at her background and upbringing. She was the daughter of a prince, bred into royalty, and raised above the common people from an early age. Her manner of speaking might simply be as a result of this rather than her simply being a condescending individual. It might simply be the way she was bred to speak. I grew used to her from of narration and by the time I was done with the book I had grown to like it.
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Post by Ahbed Nadir »

nikkiloveskiwi wrote: 05 Jan 2021, 03:03 I think that when the story progresses, you get to see more of her side and understand why she is acting or thinking a certain way. I actually like her in so many ways.
That's my point exactly. You shouldn't be put off by your first impression of her. As you get deeper into the story, you'll begin to understand her point of view and relate with her. I very much enjoyed her narration.
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Post by Ahbed Nadir »

Lunastella wrote: 13 Jan 2021, 11:06 I like Lady Sougyon a lot. I think what might be perceived as arrogance is a matter of the way Korean society was built. And she's smart. I don't know if you already read the part where she talks to the King, for example. She is also compassionate, as you'll see later on. I don't want to spoil it for you.
Exactly. Lady Sougyon is a very strong woman who underwent a lot and gave up a lot for the honor of her family and for the success of her son, Embon. I feel that when one gets to view her life through her eyes, there's no way you'll not enjoy her narration.
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Post by Sushan Ekanayake »

I think it is the way of the Korean high class families in that era. If we consider today's Korean drama, we still see such an attitude in those characters if they represent the upper class. So I think it was an inherent quality of lady Sougyon, which she might have observed from her very own mother
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Post by Sushan Ekanayake »

Phelicia Gloria wrote: 04 Jan 2021, 02:20 Indeed as the book start the narrator was unlikable, I agree with you, that she was superior than everyone else but, as I continue reading this book, I began liking her character traits, as she started seeing opportunities within her.
I think it is unfair to dislike her as a character. I believe that the author wanted to use her to represent the upper class of the Korean Society. Tge reader can get to know how arrogant they were and with how much inferiority they considered the ones who were below. So, if you really want to dislike someone, it is better to direct that towards that social class rather than idling a character
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Post by lavkathleen »

crisanja wrote: 22 Jan 2021, 23:38 I wouldn't characterize Lady Sougyan as likable or unlikable but as sympathetic. I feel for her circumstances. I think she was trying to make the best of what life gave her and may have loved her son too much in a sense by giving him too much leeway in an effort to make up for the life he was born into.
Being sympathetic is a good thing, right? Some would say that it would make her a likable character. Also, Embon deserved all the love that Lady Sougyon gave him, whether it was too much or whatever. He still grew up to be a good man.
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Post by Sushan Ekanayake »

nikkiloveskiwi wrote: 05 Jan 2021, 03:03 I think that when the story progresses, you get to see more of her side and understand why she is acting or thinking a certain way. I actually like her in so many ways.
Her role in her family, her actions towards her husband her overprotective nature towards her child is understandable when the character is slowly developed. But to understand her arrogant nature and the way that she treated the underprivileged, we have to understand the Korean culture of that era and the social structure, which the author carefully and slowly elaborates at the beginning of the book. Then we can see that as a person we don't have anything specific to dislike her, but all those are what she inherited from her social background
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Post by Brownbrit »

Lady Sougyon is the main character?!? What?!? I agree that she is the narrator, I even forgot that at times, but the main character I think not. I mean, she completely disappears in all but reference in 3/4th of the book. And, she is strong in mention, but not developed enough to truly understand her plight. Her characters are flat as ae all of the rest. It's a good book, don't get me wrong, but it is not great because you cannot loose yourself in the flat characters and passive language.
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Post by crisanja »

lavkathleen wrote: 31 Jan 2021, 22:09
crisanja wrote: 22 Jan 2021, 23:38 I wouldn't characterize Lady Sougyan as likable or unlikable but as sympathetic. I feel for her circumstances. I think she was trying to make the best of what life gave her and may have loved her son too much in a sense by giving him too much leeway in an effort to make up for the life he was born into.
Being sympathetic is a good thing, right? Some would say that it would make her a likable character. Also, Embon deserved all the love that Lady Sougyon gave him, whether it was too much or whatever. He still grew up to be a good man.
I don't necessarily think being sympathetic is a good or bad thing. Someone can be an unlikable character but you can sympathize with them and the choices they've made.
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Post by ReaderAisha2020 »

I think it was understandable that the main character being royal, would feel superior. I thought it was unique that a royal person would narrate the story in this way
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Post by Owen John »

I think the author used the "hate them first then decide whether you love them." The narrator wasn't of my taste in the beginning, but I don't think I still love him even in the end.
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Post by Owen John »

Lunastella wrote: 13 Jan 2021, 11:06 I like Lady Sougyon a lot. I think what might be perceived as arrogance is a matter of the way Korean society was built. And she's smart. I don't know if you already read the part where she talks to the King, for example. She is also compassionate, as you'll see later on. I don't want to spoil it for you.
Maybe she was only trying to salvage her already destroyed reputation. They say the first impression matters a lot. 😁😁
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