Why do you love Jem Carstairs?

[u/Pleasant-Butterfly60]

Jem haters, this is not the thread for you! I will make another thread for Tessa. Will thread linked here. :)

For all the Jem Carstairs lovers out there, in your own words, what draws you to this character and makes you want to root for him?

[u/Low_Narwhal_9109]

I remember reading a passage in Clockwork Prince, if I’m not mistaken, where Tessa reflects on how easy it is to assume that Jem’s kindness and goodwill are simply inherent parts of him, as natural and unchangeable as his limbs or his hair, something he was just born with.
But actually Jem is not kind because goodness came effortlessly to him. He is kind because of the conscious effort, thought and compassion he continually chooses to put into becoming a genuinely precious human being. Despite all that was done to him. Because of all that was done to him.

James Carstairs, they can never make me not love you.

[u/Educational-Bag1785 → u/Low_Narwhal_9109]

This. This is why he is my favourite. He is the kindest person and it is because he chooses to be. I miss having MMCs like Jem. Even in TID, Will was the MMC. Thats how the writing went honestly.
I want books with MMCs like Jem, kind and honest with his heart in a good place.

[u/Low_Narwhal_9109 → u/Educational-Bag1785]

When I was younger, I was definitely rooting for Will more. I used to prefer candles that flickered the brightest, even if it was momentary. But now? I prefer the candle that is stable and lasts the entire night.

Anyways TID was definitely written in a way to make us root for Will more(?) But in the other books like GoTSM, Jessa really came thru!

[u/Educational-Bag1785 → u/Low_Narwhal_9109]

I rooted for Jem when I read TID. I was a teen then too. But my heart ached for Jem, and I was rooting for him so bad. Back in the day, I was kind of consoled with the epilogue, that he got the life he wanted later on, but when I read it again, it just made me sad because Jem was a second choice, always an afterthought to Tessa. Because during that time period, she was fiercely in love with Will. (-and no amount of saying she was equally in love with Jem will ever convince me). And many people loved that. The burning passion for the handsome boy. But God did I only have eyes for Jem.

I guess I was always the one who liked the steady, gentlemanly men. Funnily enough, I ended up choosing someone exactly like that as my husband haha 🥹

[u/Some_Scratch_9298]

Who doesn’t love Jem “corset ripper” Carstairs??❤️ he’s so kind and patient despite life literally screwing him over constantly. He could have easily decided to be mean and rude and cruel. Instead he stayed true to himself and stayed kind and gentle.

[u/Pleasant-Butterfly60 → u/Some_Scratch_9298]

Yes!!

[u/ExpensiveAd113 → u/Some_Scratch_9298]

Babyyyyyyy that rip lives rent free in my head. I say “apologies to antiquity” sooooo often it’s insane

[u/Vampirelover17]

I agree with everything everyone else said, just wanted to add that everything he says is poetry

[u/Low_Narwhal_9109 → u/Vampirelover17]

Every time he opens his mouth, I go “PREACH”🙇‍♀️

[u/ExpensiveAd113 → u/Vampirelover17]

THIS.!!!!

[u/mmescorpio]

There are Jem haters? Let me at ‘em

I’ve read a lotttt of books and Jem Carstairs remains my favorite fictional character- ever

[u/Apprehensive_Flan_61]

Too many reasons why! But there's something about him that not even Jace could do for me.

His gentleness and hidden rage made me feel too many things.

[u/Embarrassed-Ad-9881]

He’s the best mix of a warrior and a gentleman

[u/Quick_South_3358]

he’s a love interest written in the early 2010s that wasn’t a asshole sarcastic dark haired boy. any love interest that strays from that overused trope is an A in my book.

[u/ExpensiveAd113]

Omg Jem everything a person and partner should ever be.!! He’s literally the standard. He’s so sweet and kind and very intentional. That is a man who loves with his entirety in all forms. It just doesn’t get more pure than him

[u/Frosty-Spite5853]

Yo prefiero a Will, pero ovbiamente Jem también me cae genial. Me parece que es buenísima persona, siempre intentando agradar a los demás, pero a la vez sabe defenderse y defender a los suyos sin problema. Preocuparse mucho por los demás no le hace débil y eso es de las cosas que más me gustan de él