Can you enjoy a book when you don't like the main character?

[kevxu]

I very much enjoyed Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley, though he is hardly a likable person. I presume that is why his character was made somewhat more teddy bearish in the movie.

[Cenk Armagan]

Stephen King's Apt Pupil (a novella in Different Seasons featuring Shawshank Redemption- it was also released as a movie) is a glorious example here. Both characters (the bright American wunderbar kid and the ex-Nazi) are loathsome all the way so much so that you can't decide which one should go to hell first. Also they are surrounded by fools (bright kid's family, school counsellor, ex-Nazi's neighbors and those drunks). All in all, there is not any single good character that you can enjoy in the story but what a story it is!

[Gunluvver2]

I recently read AT FIRST SIGHT by Steven Cannelli. I hated the main character but about 1/3 through the book the Female lead in the story chimed in. That made the story better. I just learned the author had passed away during 2010. I was sorry to hear that because he did some very good stories both on TV and in books.
GL2

[AmberroseMI]

I think it's possible to still like a book but be annoyed by the main character. The main character of a series I really love makes some of the worst, most idiotic decisions, but I still like the character and the books.