What is your opinion on Dan's character?

Use this forum to discuss the June 2019 Book of the month, "Cynthia and Dan: Cyber War" by Dorothy May Mercer.
mam_reader
Posts: 58
Joined: 03 Jul 2019, 20:20
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 22

Re: What is your opinion on Dan's character?

Post by mam_reader »

Dan did act more like a father than a lover sometimes. I didn't like him and I think he acted out because he got desperate.
Nuel Ukah
Posts: 394
Joined: 17 Apr 2019, 12:13
Favorite Book: The Unbound Soul
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 287
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-nuel-ukah.html
Latest Review: Le Mutt by Eva Elle Rose

Post by Nuel Ukah »

Jlprince26 wrote: 06 Jun 2019, 17:06 At first I saw Dan as this strong, independent guy who teetered on the verge of being more like a father figure to Cynthia than a lover, now he's this sappy, lonely, desperate guy who can't get a girl. His character is flawed in so many ways to me. I immediately couldn't stand him when he yelled at Cynthia for missing their date, it wasn't that he yelled at her, it was the tone I could imagine. He acted like her father, not a concerned lover. Anyone else have an opinion on the guy?
LOL. Your description of Dan makes me laugh. Well, I think there may be more to Dan than this book. I think the author must have written more about Dan in the previous book.
Tester013
Posts: 45
Joined: 11 Feb 2019, 10:05
Currently Reading: Shot Down
Bookshelf Size: 30
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tester013.html
Latest Review: Killing Abel by Michael Tieman

Post by Tester013 »

I feel that his character could've been much better fleshed out in the book... seems a bit superficial and underdeveloped..
User avatar
Areej Tahir
Posts: 349
Joined: 05 Jan 2019, 04:03
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 43
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-areej-tahir.html
Latest Review: Solaris Seethes (Solaris Saga book 1) by Janet McNulty

Post by Areej Tahir »

It felt like the author was using Dan as a way to fill the loopholes in the plot. and his character turned out to be cliche
User avatar
kristib44
Posts: 22
Joined: 13 Jul 2019, 13:35
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 25
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kristib44.html
Latest Review: Project Tau by Jude Austin

Post by kristib44 »

I agree with Nena, I couldn't stand the characters. Cynthia cheated on him with no rhyme, reason or forethought with a guy she barely knew; great moral character there. Dan did not ever show a redeeming quality; everything he did, he did on the sly by stalking her. Sky's only redeeming quality was the two seconds he spent in confession, but snapping into a huge romance where you propose over a woman who you only know from sleeping with her once doesn't strike me as sensible for marriage. It's all too pat and cliche and I'd LOVE more of an undercurrent of Dan being dangerous, descending into depression, spiraling into this rage--the character development he needs to be real.
User avatar
Thundershake
Posts: 43
Joined: 27 Jan 2019, 03:18
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 19
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-thundershake.html
Latest Review: The Orb by Tara Basi

Post by Thundershake »

From what I read, I don't really like Dan.
He came off as too trying, like he was trying to fit into his role as best he can, but it didn't work
Latest Review: The Orb by Tara Basi
Ghost11111
Posts: 48
Joined: 09 May 2019, 10:37
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 20
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ghost11111.html
Latest Review: Sundown by Carl H. Mitchell

Post by Ghost11111 »

Dan kinda stood out to me as the stereotypical "nice guy" since he did a lot of stuff of Cynthia; however, when he didn't get his way, he became very vengeful, possessive and stalker like. All he wanted was Cynthia to do what he wanted to do, when he wanted to do it, and how he wanted to do it without ever taking her needs into consideration or upgrading their relationship status to something more permanent. Once he failed to keep Cynthia with his boring lifestyle, he goes psycho crazy and starts stalking her via a GPS bug he places on her car and other unknown police resources. He uses this intel to find out Cynthia is sick and tries to swoop in and save the day like a "nice guy"; however, he goes nuts and has Sky arrested when he realizes Cynthia is dating someone else even after everything they have been through.
User avatar
chiefsimplex
Posts: 272
Joined: 05 Mar 2019, 04:45
Currently Reading: A Second, Less Capable Head
Bookshelf Size: 34
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-chiefsimplex.html
Latest Review: I Can See Peace by Julie Penshorn

Post by chiefsimplex »

Dan was just as boring as most characters in this book. Obviously this character was poorly developed but so was the rest- the whole plot is a circus! Surely there could be a more clever way of illustrating his insensitivity.
“So many books, so little time.”
― Frank Zappa
User avatar
Tomah
Posts: 1135
Joined: 05 Feb 2018, 02:21
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 137
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tomah.html
Latest Review: Greta Gar BITCH by Kimber Leigh

Post by Tomah »

Dan was barely a character at all. He needed to exist as part of the love triangle, therefore he did; he needed to justify Cynthia's cheating, therefore he became a jerk; he needed to push Cynthia into Sky's arm, therefore he became a stalker and abused his authority. The funny (tragic, if you think about it) thing is that Sky is no better: patronizing, obsessive, and unable to respect boundaries. Sure, he had the "honor" to not visit Cynthia when she didn't want to see him, but that didn't stop the endless letters professing his love and making clear he could knock on her door if he wasn't such a nice guy. Seriously, if they were meant as red herrings to paint him as a villain, it worked a bit too well. Not to mention how he just went ahead and got her phone number behind her back, a serious issue that's never addressed.
User avatar
RoxieReads
Posts: 197
Joined: 28 Jun 2019, 20:10
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 16
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-roxiereads.html
Latest Review: Code Name Lily by Julien Ayotte

Post by RoxieReads »

Dan needed so much more development. It seemed like there was no reason for they ways he would act toward Cynthia like when he yelled at her. I think that all of the characters in this book were half-baked and need some work.
User avatar
Paige Alvarado
Posts: 439
Joined: 23 Apr 2019, 14:27
Currently Reading: Night Chills
Bookshelf Size: 110
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-paige-alvarado.html
Latest Review: The Beginning of the End - It Starts by John K. Williamson

Post by Paige Alvarado »

At first I felt bad for the guy. His girlfriend cheated on him with someone she had just met and knows nothing about, while simultaneously flaking on their plans. I guess having his name in the title made me think he was going to be with her in the end.
Later on I was simply uncomfortable with him. He would show up at random moments and he was just creepy and unappealing.
User avatar
Allyseria
Posts: 456
Joined: 18 Jul 2018, 16:33
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 90
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-allyseria.html
Latest Review: Choosing Happiness by Emily Hunter Slingluff

Post by Allyseria »

It felt like the author didn't think about Dan's character thoroughly. His character was just created for the beginning, and then he was needed again to tie in some stuff in the book. He was basically an afterthought.
User avatar
Hugo_W
Posts: 37
Joined: 22 Jul 2019, 19:08
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 23
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-teddyj.html
Latest Review: The Greatest Game Ever Played...Maybe by Otto L. Wheeler

Post by Hugo_W »

I really felt bad for Dan in the beginning - he did seem like some ordinary guy who was too busy working but obviously wanted to be committed to her, sending her sweet texts, trying to make time. without much backstory or context aside from the texts between them and brief description of Dan, when Cynthia cheated, i was like, dude? how selfish of you? and Sky asking if he was committed to her, and her saying no - they'd been together for three years!!! dude!!!

to me, Dan's behavior at the date before Cynthia left really set up the creeper bit for him, but still, in my opinion Sky is so much weirder. taking a random girl up to his apartment and being all over her, getting her pregnant without a thought and then saying he was in love and wanting to marry her? when she changes her number and email to get away from him, he sends weird little letters pouring out his infatuations? HONEY...
shravsi
Posts: 565
Joined: 01 Apr 2016, 01:01
Favorite Book:
Currently Reading: Crime and Punishment
Bookshelf Size: 115
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-shravsi.html
Latest Review: Sam the Chosen by Wally Jones

Post by shravsi »

His character was used as a spare puppet in a puppet show. Its character and value changes according to the situation.
RachelRovere
Posts: 16
Joined: 14 Jun 2019, 20:25
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 13
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-rachelrovere.html
Latest Review: Burn Zones by Jorge P. Newbery

Post by RachelRovere »

I didn't think Dan added anything of value to this story line, which confused me a bit considering he was a title character. His only purpose in the story was to create a conflict for Cynthia, and that conflict was less than impactful since she had no idea what she wanted their relationship to be anyway. We learn that her license plate is ILUVDAN, or something to that effect, which implies that he's important to her but she admits their relationship is dull and sleeps with another man without really giving any thought to Dan, which implies otherwise.
Post Reply

Return to “Discuss "Cynthia and Dan: Cyber War" by Dorothy May Mercer”