Morally Grey MC

A morally grey protagonist is not a villain and not an antihero with a soft centre — they are someone whose reasoning you can follow all the way to a choice you would not make. The tension comes from agreeing with them slightly longer than is comfortable.

Where to start: Fantasy and thrillers give these characters the widest scope, since the stakes justify the compromises. If you want the version that stays uncomfortable, avoid books that redeem the character in the last act.