*nods* Lirael was very emo, but I could accept and sympathize with that because she did have reasons to be out of sorts -- she was different, and even though we never saw any signs of anyone deliberately teasing or belittling her for that, she was still stuck in a place where just everyday life was constantly rubbing her nose in that sense of difference -- and as you point out, as far as she was concerned at the outset, her differences made her essentially handicapped rather than special in a good way. And while her physical needs for food, clothing, and shelter were all quite decently met, she's essentially had an orphanage upbringing compared to Sameth's life as a pampered prince, and where he had two very loving, if often-absent, parents, she didn't really have anyone meeting her emotional needs for parental love and nurturing. So even when she's making bad choices or being a bit overdramatic in a teenage way about her problems, it's easier for me to sympathize because the problems are real and she's lacking in a support system to help her deal with them.

"whining about being quarterback" is a good way of putting the issue with Sameth -- much as I tried to intellectually sit back and convince myself that it was perfectly understandable for him to resent the lack of time with his parents, emotionally I just couldn't stifle an extremely visceral, negative reaction to what felt like an immensely privileged, pampered character falling apart over not having things exactly the way he wanted them. It's like seeing one of those horrible teen-socialite programs where some spoiled brat is throwing a hissyfit because her folks got her a BURGUNDY Mercedes hardtop for her birthday, when what she really wanted was a CRIMSON Audi convertible, damnit, and now her life is RUINED and nobody understands!