Demonized

[melissajm]

My "serpent-demon novel" has been getting a lot of feedback along the lines of "This is well written, but I'm just not warming to the main character." People either seem to love Malak or hate him, and so far all the agents have come down on the "No Love" side.

Wiser heads than mine have suggested 2 possible instant turnoffs:

1. Serpent-demons, including Malak, eat anything that moves, including people.

2. Readers see "seraphim" and "demon" and assume a religious framework that isn't there, which throws them off.

So, does anyone have a strong reaction to either of those issues? Or suggestions? Thanks!

Comments

[jjschwabach.livejournal.com]

I agree on the saraphim/demon thing. Calling someone whose culture and customs you don't understand "demons" is so common even in our own world that when someone attributes negative attributes to an entire group, it's actually *called* "demonizing." But Saraphim is pretty darn specific. Saraphim are not just angels, but a particular order of angels, from a very specific tradition. Nearly every culture in the world has some concept that corresponds to "demon."

I apologize for any typos. I don't have my glasses on, so I can't see what I've typed as well as I'd like.

[melissajm.livejournal.com]

Looks fine to me.

And here I thought it was a more obscure term...