How would you rate the "squick" factor of this idea?

[Mindfire]

So, long story short, in my world there are these creatures called the makari. A makari is a spider woman. No, not that Spider-Woman. Closer to this, but slightly less human-looking. Humanoid female upper half, spider-y lower half. The spider half can change into a slender pair of humanoid legs. (Not as in *poof* magically changes, mind you, but more like physically reconfigures itself. If you don't see how that works, you clearly haven't watched enough Transformers.) Makari have venom, spin webs, and basically do whatever a spider can. Makari are self-aware and as intelligent as humans, but they don't speak human language or think the same way humans do, as their minds are quite alien. They also don't have what we could call for the sake of convenience "souls". According to legends and folklore, they occasionally fall in love with and kidnap human men, whom they then marry- and subsequently eat. Whether this is true is unknown. But probably not.

The potentially squicky part is that I'm considering having my protagonists encounter a makari, which falls in love with a member of the group. Its mind starts to become more "human" as a result of this encounter and it eventually starts to wish for a "soul". Where that subplot might go I haven't decided. Opinions? Is the monster/human pining thing too "squicky"?

 

[Feo Takahari]

I am currently reading:

* A popular sci-fi comic that has a subplot about a genetically engineered dog-like humanoid falling love with a human
* A popular fantasy comic that has a subplot about a half-human half-snake falling in love with a human
* A less popular but still respected comic that has a subplot about a monstrous-looking demon falling in love with an angel

Romances between monsters and humans have been a thing in literature for centuries. There's been a trend in the past century of making those monsters less monstrous, but that's mostly because they're now appearing in films and other visual media--and as the above examples show, even that isn't necessarily a handicap. Since you're not working in visual media, feel free to go nuts.

(I will note that there are only a few things you can normally do with the "monster wishes to be human" plot--monster succeeds in joining human society and becomes happy, monster fails to join human society and abandons human contact, or human joins monster society. To create something interesting that hasn't been overdone, you need to challenge the basic framework in some way--for instance, does the monster genuinely want to modify itself to fit into human society, or does it want to be accepted as it is? Is there anything about monster society the monster wants to cling to? What is monster society, anyway, and what really separates it from human society?)

 

[Mindfire]

As far as I know, makari are solitary creatures, like black widows. So they don't have a "society" per ce. As for whether it would physically change, I'd say that's a no.

 

[Feo Takahari]

As far as I know, makari are solitary creatures, like black widows. So they don't have a "society" per ce. As for whether it would physically change, I'd say that's a no.

Then the question becomes what draws this makari to this human. If they're naturally solitary creatures, loneliness is unlikely to be a factor. What other things might make it want to be with the character you're pairing it with? How do they view each other? Do they truly understand each other, and if not, what mistakes may this lead to?

I'll also note that "not having a soul" can mean multiple different things. It can mean "has no afterlife, but thinks the same as any other being," "has no conscience, but may do good out of self-interest," "has no consciousness, but can act in the same manner as a being that does," or even "has nothing resembling a mind." My guess is you're going for the second, in which case it may be instructive to study the thought processes and behaviors of actual sociopaths.

 

[deilaitha]

Makari have venom, spin webs, and basically do whatever a spider can.

I started singing "Spider man, spider man, does whatever a spider can..." when I read that.

Makari are self-aware and as intelligent as humans, but they don't speak human language or think the same way humans do, as their minds are quite alien. They also don't have what we could call for the sake of convenience "souls". According to legends and folklore, they occasionally fall in love with and kidnap human men, whom they then marry- and subsequently eat. Whether this is true is unknown. But probably not.

The potentially squicky part is that I'm considering having my protagonists encounter a makari, which falls in love with a member of the group. Its mind starts to become more "human" as a result of this encounter and it eventually starts to wish for a "soul". Where that subplot might go I haven't decided. Opinions? Is the monster/human pining thing too "squicky"?

I think that it's cool. As Feo Takahari mentioned, this kind of thing is not unprecedented and in fact is gaining popularity. Twilight, with the vampire/human pairing, is a variation on the theme of monster/human. Also, I really like the idea of a relationship that can never be fertile.

I like your idea. For what it's worth.

 

[Mindfire]

Thanks, deilaitha. But don't get too attached. I was thinking about ending the subplot with a tragic death.

 

[deilaitha]

Thanks, deilaitha. But don't get too attached. I was thinking about ending the subplot with a tragic death.

Even better. *evil grin*

 

[Sam Evren]

I don't think the idea is "squicky," either from the perspective of monsters loving humans or from the idea of that specific type of monster loving a human.

If you're worried about it being a common theme, well, as they say, there's nothing new under the sun.

If you're worried about the discomfort involved in the actual relationship, that could very well be one of the most interesting parts about it.

If you can carry off both issues with style, I don't think you have any problems at all. There's nothing inherently evil with starting a book with "It was a dark and stormy night," but your second sentence (and all subsequent sentences) will require a great deal of interesting work.

It was a dark and stormy night. Lightning crashed around the house. ---> common.

It was a dark and stormy night. At least, I think it was, as my eyeballs were rolling down a wet, dark hill. ---> less common.

What matters most is how you feel about your monsters' relationships.

 

[Amanita]

I like the idea as well. The monster being female actually gives it an interesting spin, most of the time, the monster is a male who's saved by the caring of the human female (or eats her) this makes a nice contrast and spiders aren't among the usually glamorized animals either.
Knowing you, you probably don't intend to include human/spider-intercourse so I don't think it should be overly squicky. I have a more positive opinion towards spiders than many others and live in a place without any dangerous specimens though.

 

[Guru Coyote]

I'd have two questions:
* Do the Makari have males of their own, and how do 'normal' makari relations look like?
* Can you define 'squicky' for me?

I think this 'relation' could be a good and interesting subplot. The more you can make the reader understand the makari's motivations and emotions - especially as they would be 'alien' - the better.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

There's always the Shrek option - human turns into spider male and they make made passionate luv!!! (Now I'm feeling nauseas.)

You're critter though sounds a little like the driders from Neverwinter nights.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Mindfire]

I'd have two questions:
* Do the Makari have males of their own, and how do 'normal' makari relations look like?
* Can you define 'squicky' for me?

I think this 'relation' could be a good and interesting subplot. The more you can make the reader understand the makari's motivations and emotions - especially as they would be 'alien' - the better.

*unknown (which means I haven't decided)
*here's a definition from TvTropes: Main/Squick - Television Tropes & Idioms

 

[Mindfire]

Hi,

There's always the Shrek option - human turns into spider male and they make made passionate luv!!! (Now I'm feeling nauseas.)

O.O Uh... no, thanks. I'm not looking to go that far. And I never liked Shrek anyway.

 

[Shadowfirelance]

Not very high, as it's been seen before, maybe if it was more of an Anthromorphic Spider, then yes, it would be high. But as it, it could be accepted, albeit creepy.

 

[Braveface]

I like that idea.

Have you considered it happening to a character who has previously had difficulty turning down romantic propositions?

A little comedy might take the squick factor down a notch.

 

[Mindfire]

I like that idea.

Have you considered it happening to a character who has previously had difficulty turning down romantic propositions?

A little comedy might take the squick factor down a notch.

I don't think I have a character that fits that description. And I was going to play it somewhat dark rather than for laughs. Like it just starts stalking the group, but never attacks and they don't know why.

 

[Braveface]

I don't think I have a character that fits that description. And I was going to play it somewhat dark rather than for laughs. Like it just starts stalking the group, but never attacks and they don't know why.

Fair enough. You know your own story, of course.

 

[Abbas-Al-Morim]

It seems like an interesting plot.

I have seen spider-women before (they're called driders in the Forgotten Realms setting) but they aren't very common. So that's a plus.

 

[Darkfantasy]

It's a common theme, I think things become common because people like them. In the end it's best to simply do what is best for your story. Will it create an effect in the story? Will if push the characters forwards, show different sides of them? Will it improve the plot or just weigh it down?