Top Ten Picks is hosted by Jillian at Random Ramblings. This week, the topic is "Favorite Male Literary Characters". (I'm going to try to pick some different guys so my list doesn't look exactly the same as my list of literary crushes!)
10. Patch from Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
He's a big fat jerk and I'd never want to date him, but I couldn't help but want to see more of this guy. It helps when the leading lady is fairly stupid and always walking into trouble... and you don't know if Patch is going to save her or make things worse. I'm not attracted to the bad boy type, but I do think they have their place in literature, which is why Patch makes the list.
9. Lucius from Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Lucius Vladescu is probably one of my favourite vampire characters. He's not mopey and emo like some vampires (*cough*EdwardCullen*cough*). He's actually pretty funny, although I don't think he ever meant to be. If I remember nothing else from JGTDOTDS, it will be Lucius's amusing letters to his family back in Romania, complaining about (of all things) lentils.
8. Kent from Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Like most of the characters in this book, Kent was someone who seemed to come alive on the page. It's refreshing to see a "nice guy" as the romantic interest in a YA book; too often (for my taste, anyway) a guy isn't interesting unless he's a bad boy. Kent proves that nice guys don't have to finish last (at least from a favourite-character standpoint).
7. Max from Trader by Charles de Lint
Max was a character that I loved almost from the beginning of his story, when he wakes up in another man's body. The fact that such a nice guy had to deal with such an unpleasant situation really earned this character some sympathy points; I wanted things to work out for him.
6. Matt from The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
Matt was the protagonist of this dystopian novel, and he was a very interesting character with a unique reason for being. It's one of those books that makes you wonder what you would do and how you would feel if you were faced with a similar situation. And when you think like that, you can't help but relate to Matt and his plight.
5. Edward Ferrars from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
I love a character with a real conflict. Poor Edward has to choose between his heart and his loyalty... and being the gentleman that he is, loyalty wins out. That's not necessarily good for Elinor, but we all know that everything works out in the end, right?
4. Daniel from My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
Okay, I'll admit, I haven't actually finished this book yet. But Daniel is just plain awesome. Complex, intelligent, compassionate, and handsome (though that's just a bonus; I'd probably like him even if he were ugly), he's a lot of fun to read about.
3. Roald Dahl from Boy - Tales of Childhood and Going Solo by Roald Dahl
So this isn't actually a fictional character, but the way Dahl writes, he might as well be. I read these autobiographies years ago, and enjoyed them so much. There's plenty of adventure, and you can really see how some of his experiences influenced his novels.
2. Eugenides from The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
Yes, Gen made both lists. I couldn't help myself. He's just made of awesomeness.
1. Nick from The Witches of Willowmere, The Warding of Willowmere, and The Wyrd of Willowmere by Allison Baird
There's really no way to satisfactorily explain why I like this character without giving away some major plot points, so if you really want to know, you'll have to read the books yourself.
He's a big fat jerk and I'd never want to date him, but I couldn't help but want to see more of this guy. It helps when the leading lady is fairly stupid and always walking into trouble... and you don't know if Patch is going to save her or make things worse. I'm not attracted to the bad boy type, but I do think they have their place in literature, which is why Patch makes the list.
9. Lucius from Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
Lucius Vladescu is probably one of my favourite vampire characters. He's not mopey and emo like some vampires (*cough*EdwardCullen*cough*). He's actually pretty funny, although I don't think he ever meant to be. If I remember nothing else from JGTDOTDS, it will be Lucius's amusing letters to his family back in Romania, complaining about (of all things) lentils.
8. Kent from Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Like most of the characters in this book, Kent was someone who seemed to come alive on the page. It's refreshing to see a "nice guy" as the romantic interest in a YA book; too often (for my taste, anyway) a guy isn't interesting unless he's a bad boy. Kent proves that nice guys don't have to finish last (at least from a favourite-character standpoint).
7. Max from Trader by Charles de Lint
Max was a character that I loved almost from the beginning of his story, when he wakes up in another man's body. The fact that such a nice guy had to deal with such an unpleasant situation really earned this character some sympathy points; I wanted things to work out for him.
6. Matt from The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
Matt was the protagonist of this dystopian novel, and he was a very interesting character with a unique reason for being. It's one of those books that makes you wonder what you would do and how you would feel if you were faced with a similar situation. And when you think like that, you can't help but relate to Matt and his plight.
5. Edward Ferrars from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
I love a character with a real conflict. Poor Edward has to choose between his heart and his loyalty... and being the gentleman that he is, loyalty wins out. That's not necessarily good for Elinor, but we all know that everything works out in the end, right?
4. Daniel from My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
Okay, I'll admit, I haven't actually finished this book yet. But Daniel is just plain awesome. Complex, intelligent, compassionate, and handsome (though that's just a bonus; I'd probably like him even if he were ugly), he's a lot of fun to read about.
3. Roald Dahl from Boy - Tales of Childhood and Going Solo by Roald Dahl
So this isn't actually a fictional character, but the way Dahl writes, he might as well be. I read these autobiographies years ago, and enjoyed them so much. There's plenty of adventure, and you can really see how some of his experiences influenced his novels.
2. Eugenides from The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
Yes, Gen made both lists. I couldn't help myself. He's just made of awesomeness.
1. Nick from The Witches of Willowmere, The Warding of Willowmere, and The Wyrd of Willowmere by Allison Baird
There's really no way to satisfactorily explain why I like this character without giving away some major plot points, so if you really want to know, you'll have to read the books yourself.
Oh, great choices! It's cool that most of your characters are from novels of modern literature, that's refreshing.
ReplyDeleteI mostly love classical guys, that's kind of ugh.;)
As you may know, I have a huge crush on Kent McFuller! He is just so darn cute and adorable, I don't know how anyone can NOT love him!
ReplyDeleteOh this is awesome! and oh yes Gen is absolutely swoon worthy! *sigh* :) Loving the list and so much more to add to by TBR pile :D
ReplyDeleteI love bad boys. I can't help myself. :D
ReplyDelete