What is an expected outcome when readers find the characters in a novel unrealistic?

When readers encounter unrealistic characters in a novel, it often leads to emotional detachment. This detachment occurs because readers typically engage with stories by relating to characters based on their experiences, emotions, and motivations. When characters lack realism, they may come across as flat or unbelievable, hindering readers' ability to connect with them on a personal level. Consequently, the emotional investment that typically enhances the reading experience diminishes, causing readers to feel indifferent or less engaged with the narrative.

The other outcomes, such as experiencing deep emotional connections or quickly forgetting the story, are less likely to occur because unrealistic characters typically do not evoke the empathy or identification necessary for such experiences. Seeking out emotional narratives may be a tendency for readers, but unrealistic characters would not fulfill that desire, further supporting the idea that emotional detachment is the most expected outcome.