curiousThe reason this book made me think so much is because I didn't really like Regina. She's not the kind of girl I would've hung out with, by any means -- but by the end of the book, I really respect her. I can see why she did what she did, and although I personally wouldn't have made those choices, her courage is very admirable.
I don't write characters like Regina, and I wonder if that's to my detriment. My characters have flaws, yes, but they're basically average girls (I think), who tend toward pensive-ness or detachment. In that sense, they're like me, I suppose. So often, when I'm writing, I find my main characters reacting to the spotlight (of being the main character) very similarly to how I would -- they shrink from it a bit. That's something I'm working on, trying to allow the MC to really shine and act with passion or relaxation. My secondary characters, however, tend to be much freer, much more themselves. I wonder why that is?
Regina is completely herself, no holds barred. She doesn't hide her cruelty, her single-mindedness. She reminds me of a soldier -- she gets the job done, to the best of her ability. And if innocents get hurt along the way, then so be it. And if parts of the job aren't pleasant at all, she muscles through.
How about your characters? How do you see them?