Vaginal Fantasy Book Club discussion

I was just wondering, when everyone reads these stories do you ever just cast yourself as the main character? I think if an author can craft an experience that is completely immersive, I have no trouble seeing myself in the main character's skin and her journey becomes mine. Some of my favorite novels are my favorite for that exact reason. I think by seeing myself as the main character helps me become more emotionally invested in the story.

I think most people will automatically picture themselves as the main character unless the author breaks that with too much detail. I feel like I remember talking about this in an English theory class.

I know people give Twilight a lot of flack for Bella being an empty character for female readers to picture themselves as. I've always thought that was a silly argument because I would imagine it was intentional so that reader's have that emotional response that you are talking about.

I can feel empathy for the character. Even in books where the heroine isn't described much, like Rebecca, I don't see me.
@Heather, I always thought it was intentional as well in Twilight. I guess an argument could be made for whether that is or isn't simplistic or lazy.

It depends on the main character. I often see myself as characters like Georgina from Succubus Blues. Bella from Twilight is not a character I saw myself as hence why I only read two books in the series. I agree that Bella's internal dialogue was intended for readers to view themselves as her, I just could not do it.