No Shelf Control

Back again with another Thursdays Thoughts!! Today we’ll be talking about authors who kill main characters, and why I think it can be a good thing! Also, there are no spoilers, so don’t worry!!!

While most people are upset when the main character dies, I usually applaud the authors for doing this. There is basically an unspoken rule that you don’t kill the main character. That means when the author does this, I feel like it means they don’t care about what everyone else thinks! It shows that they will do what best for the characters, and not for the readers. I value this a lot, and I think it can add a lot to the story!

When the main character dies, it allows for character development for those who survived. It can show how other characters work through their grief, and helps the reader see another side of the characters. Overall, I find that most of the books where the main character dies are usually very raw and powerful, they tend to come with impactful themes.

Also, there are some really unique ways that authors carry on the books after the main character dies. This really allows for a lot of creativity and unique endings!!

“Sometimes our heroes don’t make it to the end.”

– Marie Lu

This quote leads me right into my next point, and it’s also just heartrendingly beautiful as well. This quote by Marie Lu really drives home the fact our heroes don’t always survive, whether it’s in a book or in life. I feel like when the main character dies, it shows how the world isn’t perfect. It shows that life is hard, and things don’t always go as planned. Sometimes, the endings of books are sugarcoated and unrealistic because everyone survives, and there is just some cliche happy ending. When the main character dies, it shows that the world isn’t fair, and I value that books will show that.

So those are main reasons why I commend authors who kill off their main characters, even though most people dislike it! Let me know what you think in the comments below!!