Absolutely. Sympathy is not an absolute state. You don't decide a certain character is sympathetic and have that status never effected by anything else they do. If a character does something the reader views as unforgivable they will of course lose all sympathy.
Fortunately, my goal as a writer is to get the readers to care about my characters. Whether they love or hate them is irrelevant, just so long as they aren't bored. I've actually had a few readers tell me they couldn't wait for the next chapter in a story because they were desperately hoping to see a specific villain brutally killed. As an author I count that as a success.
Fortunately, my goal as a writer is to get the readers to care about my characters. Whether they love or hate them is irrelevant, just so long as they aren't bored. I've actually had a few readers tell me they couldn't wait for the next chapter in a story because they were desperately hoping to see a specific villain brutally killed. As an author I count that as a success.