Though I'm probably coming off as much more critical of the characters than I really am! Normally when I read I'm quite accepting of what I'm reading. So for instance, I disliked Egwene, but I never really thought to myself that I would like her more if she was just a more realistic character, or had more depth to her. I sort of noticed such failings, in her and in other characters... But it only bothered me slightly, and for the most part I did not pay attention to it as I read. In retrospect though, I can look at my experience reading it and see that the characters, for the most part, really are pretty simple and repetitive in what they say and what they even think.

But while that is true, I could still pick up one of the books and enjoy it, and enjoy the characters in it, and certainly have strong feelings of liking or disliking them. So it's like you said, really. Jordan isn't amazing and he's definitely not going to win any awards for his characters, but they get the job done of carrying on the storyline.