We all know the feeling: you pick up a book, and within a few pages, you're rolling your eyes at the main character's choices. But sometimes, that irritation is exactly what keeps you turning pages. There's a strange pleasure in watching a fictional train wreck unfold, especially when the person at the wheel is making every wrong decision possible. These five novels prove that a great story doesn't need a hero you root for—sometimes, it just needs a protagonist you can't stop watching.
From a wealthy New Yorker who decides to sleep through her problems to a writer who steals her dead friend's work, these characters are selfish, deluded, and often outright awful. Yet their stories are so gripping that you'll find yourself staying up late, eager to see what terrible thing they'll do next. Think of them as literary car crashes—you know you shouldn't look, but you absolutely will.
1. My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
Ottessa Moshfegh's darkly comic novel follows an unnamed young woman living on Manhattan's Upper East Side in 2000. After the deaths of her parents, she decides the best way to cope is to sleep through an entire year. With a psychiatrist who's all too willing to prescribe whatever she asks, she spends her days in a drug-induced haze, watching movies on her VCR. But her plan to shut out the world keeps getting interrupted by the people in her life—her clingy friend Reva and her on-again, off-again boyfriend Trevor.
The protagonist is fiercely judgmental, looking down on everyone around her while using her privilege as an excuse to disengage. Yet her sharp observations are often hilarious, even when they're cruel. As the story unfolds, Moshfegh reveals a deeper sadness beneath the surface, making this a compelling study of grief and isolation. You'll want to shake her, but you won't be able to put the book down.
2. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Gillian Flynn's thriller begins with Nick Dunne reporting his wife Amy missing on their fifth anniversary. As the investigation unfolds, Nick's odd behavior makes him a prime suspect, but Amy's diary entries paint a different picture. The novel's dual narration keeps you guessing, and neither character is entirely trustworthy. Nick is selfish and unfaithful, while Amy is obsessed with appearances and willing to punish anyone who disappoints her.
What makes Gone Girl so addictive is the way Flynn forces you to constantly reassess your loyalties. One chapter you're sympathizing with Nick, the next you're horrified by Amy's manipulations. The result is a tense, twisty read that proves the most toxic relationships are often built on mutual destruction. If you haven't read it yet, it's a must for fans of thriller books to devour.
3. Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
R. F. Kuang's satire follows June Hayward, a struggling writer who witnesses the accidental death of her successful friend Athena Liu. When June finds an unpublished manuscript in Athena's apartment, she decides to pass it off as her own. Published under the racially ambiguous pen name Juniper Song, the novel becomes a bestseller, but June's success is threatened by accusations of plagiarism and cultural appropriation.
June is infuriating because she knows she's done something wrong but refuses to admit it. She rationalizes her theft as collaboration, convinces herself Athena deserved it, and sees criticism as proof of a conspiracy against her. Kuang's first-person narration exposes the mental gymnastics of entitlement, making June a character you'll love to hate. It's a sharp commentary on the publishing industry and social media, and one of the most universally praised books of recent years.
4. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Alex Michaelides' psychological thriller centers on Alicia Berenson, a famous painter who shot her husband five times and then stopped speaking. Six years later, psychotherapist Theo Faber becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind her silence. As he digs deeper, he uncovers secrets that challenge everything he thought he knew.
Alicia is a fascinating character—she's a victim, but also a murderer, and her silence makes her both sympathetic and infuriating. Theo, meanwhile, is driven by professional ambition and personal demons, making him an unreliable narrator. The novel's twist ending is one of the most talked-about in recent memory, and it's a perfect pick for fans of Stephen King's psychological horror.
5. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
While not in the original list, this classic novel deserves a mention for its cast of deeply unlikable characters. Set at a New England college, it follows a group of eccentric classics students who become entangled in murder. The narrator, Richard Papen, is an outsider who idolizes his classmates, but as the story unfolds, their arrogance and moral decay become impossible to ignore.
Tartt's prose is lush and atmospheric, and the characters are so compellingly awful that you can't look away. It's a must-read for anyone who loves dark academia and morally ambiguous protagonists.
These five books (plus one bonus) prove that unlikable characters can make for the most memorable reads. Whether they're selfish, deluded, or just plain terrible, their stories are impossible to put down. So go ahead, pick one up—and enjoy every frustrating, addictive page.
