I have been lurking in this sub for a bit, and I have seen many criticisms of books because the reader dislikes what they consider misogynistic elements, or racist, sexist, homophobic elements. My question is, can a book be good/great, even if the author makes you feel uncomfortable? Why does the author’s style, or a character need to prescribe to a specific concept of morality to be an acceptable read?
Personally, I don’t understand why certain language or topics are a no go for folks. If a story is good, it shouldn’t matter. I also think reading things that don’t align with your beliefs, is generally a great way to expand your mind, and make you a wiser person.
Not literature. At all. I might not agree with it but I’ll read it to see if I can understand where they’re coming from, or try to recognise the context. I love James Ellroy, for example, but I find some of his language jarring. It’s debatable as to whether it’s necessary, but it certainly does add a distasteful sort of depth.
Non-fiction that I fundamentally disagree with, such as Harari’s definition of liberalism in Sapiens, gets right up my nose, and I get grumpy. But I’ll tend to read on to see if they have anything interesting to say.