What is one character trait that will cause you to close the book? I finish most of the books I start, so it didn’t take long to come up with an answer to this question.
Stupid.
I don’t like stupid characters. I don’t like characters who make stupid decisions then spend the rest of the book (or movie) complaining about or trying to fix the mistake.
I would like to qualify that statement by saying stupid is not the same as naivete or immaturity or lacking conventional intelligence. Forrest Gump is an example. He is not clever, but he is not stupid. His actions are consistent with his character.
So what is stupid?
Stupid is a character doing something when they should know better.
Stupid is doing the thing everyone said not to do, then expecting the reader to sympathise when something bad happens.
Stupid is the main character moving to a small town in another country where they stand out as the only non-local, then joining all the local clubs when they’re trying to hide from the evildoers.
Stupid is the main character quitting a well-paid job with health benefits to do … well, pretty much anything, then not knowing how they’re going to pay for their sick child’s health problems.
Stupid is the main character going to investigate the strange noises in the basement, even though the 911 operator told them to stay upstairs until the police arrive.
Get the picture?
I used to finish these books, but no more. There are too many other books to read.
