I think it’s become generally agreed that the best books are those where the characters are three-dimensional people who are engaging, likable, and someone the reader really wants to spend time with. Reading is not just a time to spend with someone fictional, it’s when we can step out of our shoes and into those of someone much more interesting, exciting, or who lived in another time or place. We don’t just want to be with the protagonists of the stories we read, we want to become that person, even if it’s just for a short time.