itsbellatrix
Hey Author! About your Born to Burn.
It's one thing to write morally complex characters; it's another to expect readers to applaud the inexcusable because the man happens to be rich, handsome, and wrapped in a mafia aesthetic. Stories don't become "dark romance" simply by replacing accountability with excuses. When betrayal, rape, and repeated cheating are brushed aside in the name of love, it doesn't come across as bold or daring, it comes across as a fundamental misunderstanding of what emotional depth actually is. The real disappointment isn't that you wrote an unlikeable character; it's that you seemed convinced readers would mistake shock value for brilliant storytelling.
ElaheKarami
@itsbellatrix 3. I have currently published only ten chapters. Giovanni has only just begun to realize the consequences of his actions, and the story has a long way to go. So I think it's a little early to conclude that the story is brushing everything aside “in the name of love” or that I expect readers to forgive him because he's handsome, rich, or a mafia character. I agree that shocking events alone don't make brilliant storytelling. But I also don't believe that the presence of shocking or morally disturbing events automatically means a story is relying on “shock value.” Sometimes those events are necessary to show the extent of a character's hatred, cruelty, or wrongdoing. If Giovanni hadn't done terrible things, then there would be nothing meaningful for him to take responsibility for or redeem himself from. Of course, you may still dislike the story or feel that his actions are beyond forgiveness, and that's completely valid. Not every story or character is going to be for everyone. But I do think the story should be judged as a whole, especially when only ten chapters have been published and the redemption, or lack thereof, is still unfolding.
ElaheKarami
@itsbellatrix 2. I don't expect readers to forgive Giovanni. Even Sabrina hasn't forgiven him, and she will be leaving him soon. I'm not even sure whether she will forgive him by the end of the story. As you know, real life isn't always rainbows and sunshine. It is full of events far worse than what has happened in the story so far. And this is a dark romance. The story isn't saying that the things Giovanni has done are okay; it explores what happens when a person has caused real harm and then has to face the consequences of their actions. Unfortunately, situations involving control, abuse, toxic relationships, and difficult choices exist in real life too. The point of the story isn't necessarily, “This is a good person who did nothing wrong, so please applaud him.” The point can be: "This is a terrible person who did terrible things. Can this relationship survive? Can this person change? Can the victim ever trust him again? Is redemption even possible?" Giovanni has done bad things to Sabrina because of his hatred toward her father. He is now beginning to realize what he has done and is trying to make amends. But realizing that he was wrong doesn't erase the pain he caused, and Sabrina is under no obligation to forgive him simply because he regrets his actions.
ElaheKarami
Hello I hope this finds you well.
Thank you for sharing your opinion. It's important to me to know what my readers think.
About what you said:
1. I write mostly for myself, to put the stories that come to my mind into words. I don't expect everyone to like them, but hopefully, some people will find them entertaining.
