I love characters. NO WAIT. I adore characters. They are my friends and my heroes and sometimes I want to be them when I grow up and sometimes I know if I met them in real life, despite adoring them, I’d run away screaming.
Of course I don’t like all the kinds of characters. I don’t think bookworms have to! That’s why there are SO MANY BOOKS. There are types of characters to make everyone chortle like a happy melon, right?!
Today, I’m listing types of characters (character tropes, if you will) that I really really really like and basically cannot read enough of. Hand me a book with any of these kind of characters and — I AM SOLD. 5-stars! ALL THE LOVE. ALL THE CAKE. ALL THE FEELS.
1. DEVIOUS, CLEVER, INTELLIGENT, EVIL MASTERMINDS
I mean, they don’t have to be evil. But we all know the smartest ones have a touch of the dark side. (That explains me, to be honest.) I love masterminds. I love characters who invent complicated ploys to get things and they won’t stop for anything. Devious intentions, excellent wit, and devastating genius? Sign me up. Aka Kaz from Six of Crows and Miles from Made You Up.
2. TINY, SMALL, PETITE LOOKING GIRLS WHO CAN CRACK SKULLS
This just pleases me immensely because I AM A TINY SMALL HUMAN. Who…can’t even…pop balloons because it’s terrifying, but let’s not discuss my fragile souled tendencies. These are EPIC characters who never fail to impress me. I love it how they are underestimated and then — BOOM — they’ve taken down a human twice their size. Or even if they’re not physically violent (why does Cait like the violent characters? Gee…we might need to question Cait’s priorities here), but just sassy and talented and not to be trifled with.
I love tiny characters. Basically Zuzana from Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Blue from The Raven Boys.
3. GARGANTUAN CHARACTERS WHO ARE TERRIFYING TO LOOK AT…BUT ARE SQUISHY TEDDY BEARS
I knoooow…this is a cliche! But I love it. I love when the dude the size of a football field is into cooking or art. I love when the guy with hands as big as Slovenia is really gentle with a teeny tiny baby. Or the girl as tall as Mount Fuji is really graceful. IT’S SO ADORABLE. ERMAGERSH.
Basically characters who are more than their appearance = my favourites.
4. BOOKWORMS WHO ARE LEGITIMATELY IN LOVE WITH BOOKS
Now, I call out a lot of supposed “bookworms” in literature. Like a character will “claim” to love books…but do we see them read? NO. THEY ARE LIAAAAAARS. I get that adventures stop characters from reading, but books still can influence their lives! Like Sam from Shiver. I don’t remember him reading a lot throughout the trilogy, but he worked in a bookstore, he often was holding a book, he quoted poems. He was BOOKISH. And it pleased me.
Being a bookworm sort of leaks into every aspect of WHO YOU ARE. I like book characters to reflect that too!!
5. ADORKABLE, GANGLY HUMANS THAT ARE ALL LEFT-ELBOWS AND ODD FEET AND CLUELESS AND ARE ENDEARING AND WHIMSICAL
Basically the whimsical ones always steal my heart. The ones that aren’t…quite…there. I always fall in love with them. Like Luna from Harry Potter or Finn from Bone Gap or Pete from Dorothy Must Die. They usually need someone to pin them to earth or they just la-la away. They always seem more magical to me and in need of protection. I volunteer. These darlings.
6. THE LITTLE BITTER COFFEE BEANS COVERED IN 95% DARK CHOCOLATE
Because, woah, they are bitter little balls of fun. But I still love them?! Especially when they cover their bitterness with sarcasm…or when they just let it go and be cranky at everyone. But they also GET STUFF DONE. And that’s admirable!! Less sobbing! Less dejected wailing! More PUNCH.
Like Katniss (obviously) from The Hunger Games, and oh oh! Let’s not forget Scarlet from Scarlet (woah, original titles there, Marissa Meyer) and Isabelle from Sinner. also Isabel from City of Bones. So basically the name Isabelle apparently means = bitter espresso in bookish language.
7. TORTURED BAD BOYS WHO COVER THEIR TRAGIC BACKSTORIES WITH SASSY BANTER
I know the “bad boy” trope can be utterly annoying. And I highly dislike bad boys who are a) rude, b) controlling, c) commit dangerous acts to scare/intimidate/show-off to other humans, particularly girlfriends. No no no. I mean “bad boy” as in the ones that are assassins, or epic fighters, or anti-heroes. Ones that do BAD STUFF but wish they didn’t. And I particularly like it when they cover up their tragic pasts with witty banter and self-deprecating quips.
8. LOYAL DOGS THAT ALWAYS FOLLOW THEIR MASTERS, EVEN WHEN THEIR MASTERS ARE PEAR-BRAINED HUMANS THAT NEED A SLAP INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK
I love dogs. LOVE ‘EM. They totally count as characters too, do not argue with me. Although I am terrified anytime a dog enters a book because — why do authors so love to kill the animals?! IT HURTS. STAHP IT. But I love the dogs that are so, so loyal and always follow their owners.
Can we pause a moment to adore Manchee from The Knife of Never Letting Go and Prince Terrien from Bridge to Terabithia. Loyal darlings. Awk.
9. ENDEARING DORKS WHO MEAN WELL BUT ARE ENTIRELY…. DORKS
It’s adorkable (har har har, very original, Cait) and I am not ashamed of liking this trope. Actually, as a writer, I have at least one character per book who is just a dork. Well meaning, caring, usually the comic relief, not staggeringly smart, but always underestimated. In a crisis they really pull through!! Say hello to Percy Jackson the most adorkable dork of them all. And I’ll add Simon from Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda onto this too.
10. ANYONE WHO BELIEVES IN “BREAKFAST FIRST”
You wouldn’t believe how many characters are like “and then I was too nervous/excited/deluded to eat” and well, then, insta-disconnection. Food is life. If you want me to get 100% behind a character — HAVE THEM STOP TO EAT. My favourite part about Princess of Thorns was when Aurora and Niklass had eating contests. They went on tough journeys and then they wanted to eat. Duh. At least we hear some sense!
tell me what your favourite types of characters are in the comments!! do we share any favourites!?
Aaah, love this post!
I kinda love all these types of characters you stated but my favourite is 1, 2, 4, 7, 9. Well favourites… you can’t expect me to choose only one! 😀 But especially I do have a soft spot for the kind of character you mentioned in no. 7, I simply love that they try to be all hard from the outside and stuff but they’re all mushy gushy from the inside! 😛 Nonetheless, great post!
CHOOSING ONE IS TOO HARD. I struggled to stop this post at 10!! Apparently I have a lot of favourite character tropes. 😂
Antiheroes, dorks, and anyone sarcastic but loyal. I love it when a character’s like, “this is a stupid plan and I’m not doing it,” but goes along with it because they don’t want their friends to go it alone.
I always think there’s two types of bad boy. The horrible one who’s treated as romantic even though he’s so obviously not, and the cute one who’s angsty and sarcastic and hard to get close to. Usually an antihero.
YESSSS I LOVE THAT. That is basically Thorne from the Lunar Chronicles too. 😂 I adore those kinds. And yes, omg, there are DEFINITELY 2 types of bad boys and I do not condone the abusive/controlling kind. Not ever. I like the ones who are slightly on the dark side, but still squishy inside and have good intentions but are made to do bad things. *nods*
I pretty much love all these kinds of characters too, but particularly the first three. There’s nothing better than a good mastermind, evil or not (in fact I’m reading the Sherlock Holmes stories at the moment, and am so far really enjoying his mastermind-ness!), and I love tiny, kickass female characters because I am also a tiny small human! And gentle giant characters are just so adorable, how could you not like them?
OMG YES. Evil or not!! It’s true. Just the ones who are so suffocatingly smart that make one screech.😱😜 I read my first Sherlock Holmes book this year too aND LOVED IT I NEED READ MORE ASAP. But that’s definitely why I like all the movies/shows.
I am so with you on #3 (it reminded me of Pax au Telemanus from Red Rising). And I also love masterminds (Kaz is the best!).
Another type of character I like is in-his-own-way-weird-but-loyal with a touch of bromance (someone like Sevro from Red Rising trilogy or Connor Cobalt from Addicted series). Those characters always have their quirks but they would do anything for those they love. It warms my heart.
Zomg I REALLY want to reread Red Rising now that you just mentioned it. Everyone in there was so complex and epic. :’) SEVERO IS EVERYTHING BASICALLY. I love the loyal ones who are also little devils…but so so so loyal and loving because of it.
I love ALL these types of characters. The little cinnamon buns that are always underestimated are especially fun. And any character that can sass and speak fluent sarcasm is bound to make me love them XD I also like characters that are cocky little bastards that they know they’re the best at what they do for some reason (probably because this trait usually comes with sass attached)
THE LITTLE CINNAMON BUNS. < -- best descriptor ever. :') Fluent sarcasm is also a must. Basically when their names are Magnus and Chase because SO MUCH SARCASM IN SUCH A SMALL HUMAN. Or Thorne. Thorne is everything. :')
Manchee! *wails furiously into a pillow to stop the neighbours from hearing* (also auto-correct wanted to change that into manatee… fail!)
Also totally up for the food thing. It grounds characters and makes them more real I think.
*cries for 900 years because still isn’t over Manchee* I can’t even finish that trilogy because I’m so scared. 😭😭
I love all these too – but especially #3 – terrifying to look at but are seriously squishy teddy bears 🙂 I love how you put it!
Eeeep, thanks, Tanya! 😀 I will FOREVER adore the ones who aren’t what they seem. XD
I love the villains, the anti-heroes. Because where’s the fun in being good!? But basically, all the types of characters you’ve mentioned are awesome (ESPECIALLY the characters who read, because then we totally have something in common.) Also, just generally “badass” characters — and they don’t even have to be kickass, just quietly strong. 🙂
EXACTLY. Pfft, who even wants to be a little fluffy angel WHEN YOU CAN BE KAZ. *ahem* *adjusts own halo as it is slipping*
I love characters I can relate to instantly and I ALWAYS relate to the bookworms. Particularly badass bookworms. *nods*
I love all the characters. ALL OF THESE I <3 SO MUCH! Though my favorite is the Simon-type. I love adorkable.
ADORAKABLE IS JUST EVERYTHING. And especially huggable dorks. 😂
I’ve noticed I have this… thing… for the second son, in fantasy. The quieter, reserved, often ignored one. The one who doesn’t match up to his big brother but works so hard at doing his own thing that he actually completely steals the show.
I hadn’t noticed that trope before!! I need to watch out for it. *nods*
My favorites got to be number 1, 6, and 7. I just loveeee masterminds, how they always have backup plan and surprises everyone (well hello there Kaz Bekker!). And I enjoyed when the hero is bitter, but they see the world as it is and actually get things done instead of crying and regretting (again, Kaz Bekker). And of course, even though the tortured bad boys with awful past is an overplayed trope, I still love it! I love reading how their past slowly unfolds and they learn to lower their defence and starts trusting someone. I find it beautiful. (Still looking @ you Kaz.)
Sorry for the excessive amount of fangirling at Kaz Bekker, I just finished Six of Crows!
KAZ JUST RULES THE MASTERMIND CATEGORY DOESN’T HE?!?! Basically the tortured but-secretly-has-a-good-heart characters always get me. *sniffs happily*
I’m so happy right now because I included a good chunk of these in my NaNo book, though I tired to put twists on them to avoid cliches.
Main character is a tiny human (mainly because I’m a tiny human and I relate) who kicks butt, but she never had to “prove herself” to anyone. Male lead is a giant teddy bear who is also a book worm but he’s not dark and brooding and angsty. He quotes classic literature all the time, which makes me melt (Yes, I did invent him. Yes, I can still melt okay.)
I also love those dark coffee beans. Scarlet is da bomb.
I also like girls who are shy and not what you would usually call hero material, but that pull through in the end. E.g Cress from, you guessed it, Cress.
And then I have to love it when a character that’s 100% me get’s the spot light. Book worm, studious, stubborn, doubts herself, would do anything for the ones she loves. I only know one really good example of this and it’s Maka from Soul Eater (anime series, not a book). I love her to pieces.
Thanks for another great post!
ZOMG THEN YOUR NANO BOOK IS CLEARLY THE STUFF OF THE HEAVENS. 😱😜 I am a tiny human too *nods* although I’m about as scary as a spoon…but anyway. I TRY. And yes you may melt to that description of a bookworm. I WANT ONE.😂
Scarlet is basically everything. Especially in Winter. I LOVE THE ENTIRE BOOK OF WINTER. Basically all of Marissa Meyer’s characters are 1000% awesome…Winter, Thorne, Jacin, Iko…*happy sigh*
High fives for the tiny humans. You and I may not be able to kick butt literally but lets at least do it literature-ally. (Sorry bout the bad pun). 😀
Ermagersh this post!!! I love it so much! And it’s impossible for me to choose just one favorite . . . BUT I especially like sassy, witty, sarcastic characters. Also, I like #2 and #3 SO MUCH *flails* But I like pretty much all of these characters! You made good choices, Cait 🙂
We clearly have EPIC character-love taste. *hi fives*
Wait. “Too shocked to eat” is a thing? SERIOUSLY?
I have never heard of this being a thing except when it’s a really serious shock- e.g. someone they love more than anything (usually the mentor/best friend/romantic interest) just died and all hope is lost and they’re like “Woe and misery is meeeeeee I’m going to go curl in a ball and mourn for a chapter or two now”. But seriously. ‘Too shocked to eat.’ *headdesk*
I love a lot of these too . . . 😀 Like the bad-boys and the dark-chocolate-coffee-bean-characters. (I seriously love that description.) And the bookworms (of course) and the big guys who are actually really sweet and gentle. And the mastermind too except with them it’s not as much love as it is awe-and-terror-mixed and “darn it, how’d you get to be so crazy good at planning and making your plans actually work?” The exception is Eugenides from the Queen’s Thief series, who I do love and he is INSANELY AMAZING. Seriously.
One favorite character type who isn’t on this list . . . the lovable rogue. Like Han Solo, or Captain Carswell Thorne. They’re good-looking, they’re snarky/sarcastic/teasing but generally not in a mean way, they’re not necessarily good people at the start but they become good people, and they’re just a lot of fun. And also the closely related non-rogue-but-big-ego-and-smart-tongue characters like Howl Pendragon and Bard Eanrin. ‘Cause they’re all just so fun to read and they’re rarely serious about anything and they’re dramatic about everything and they get some of the best lines and they don’t seem to care about anyone . . . but they actually care a very great deal and when they show it, it’s ADORABLE.
IT IS A THING IN BOOKS. Gah, I swear…every time a character skips a meal because of some teeny tiny silly reason…*growls* What about needing energy?!?!? Food = energy.
And I LOVE that reaction to masterminds too. When everyone is just like “You’re really clever” and they’re just like “Another day at the office”. HEHHH. As long as they’re not conceited about it…
HOW COULD I FORGET THE LOVEABLE ROGUE?! *facepalm* Thorne is everything. He is nearly a dork too…and I love him for it. Will from The Infernal Devices! And Skulduggery Pleasant! AND OMG HAN from The Demon King!!
I’m basically a sucker for numbers 1, 2, 6, 7 and 9. I didn’t event know how to classify my favorite character tropes until you made this post xD Definitely love characters who act fearless and brave but still have soft spots here and there.
We are like TWINS on this matter then, Mara. 😀
I’m reading an ARC of my first book with a dog main character! It’s called Emotive by Kevin Laymon. Super thrilled about it so far!
Wait…the dog is the main character?! THAT’S PRETTY AWESOME. I just read Wolf Brother where the wolf took turns narrating! 😀
That sounds so interesting! I especially like the idea of it switching between wolf and human. Aside from Emotive, I’ve only read one other book with a dog main character, but I don’t think it was done well and I DNFed it. (Which I know you don’t believe in, but I’m not DNFing Emotive!)
#3, #4, and #5 have got to be my faves! I love # 5s especially. They’re full of so much wonder and I keep thinking to myself “Why can’t I be more like this?!”. Most of us lose a bit of that magic as we grow older (though I, personally, am holding on for dear life) and these characters just kind wallow around in it instead. They’re fantastical and give me goals.
Gaint squoosh muffins are the best! Hagrid (of course) will forever be one of my favorite squishes.
Then the bookworm. I LOVE to see characters really loving/livnig books. Sookie Stackhouse was a great example! I also agree with you that SAYING that the character loves books just isn’t enough! Show me. Shoooow meeeeee.
Great post!
SAME. I’ve always wanted to be one of those starshine-and-happiness kind of people. I am a Vulcan instead. 😂 bUT STILL. I write many of those into my books to make up for it.
OMG GIANT SQUOOSH MUFFINS. < -- Best descriptor of them of ever.
CHARACTERS YES. I LOVE CHARACTERS SOOOO MUCH. Possibly even more than plot.
Alrighty, my favorite character types.
1. The guy who is intellegent, funny, and kind. This is Gansey and usually the kind of guy I end up falling in love with.
2.. The character who has seemingly conflicting depths. Like Ronan Lynch, who is the kind of guy you’d lock your door against but he’s so fiercely loyal and he loves Chainsaw and Matthew to pieces.
3. The loyal character. Ronan, as stated above, but also Samwise Gamgee.
4. The psychic. Not really the ladies of 300 Fox Way. More like Galadriel.
SAME. I think the characters MAKE the plot really. I can’t believe I forgot to put a Gansey-type on here because GANSEEEEY. Ronan is definitely the bad-boy-who-is-not-so-bad. :’) Same wit Adam almost. I don’t even know what Noah is but I love him. *sniffles happily*
SCARLET. YUUUUUS. I LOVE THAT GIRL SO BAD.
SAME. EVERY TIME SHE APPEARS IN WINTER, I JUST LOVE HER MORE.
YUS. SO MUCH YES. SHE WAS AWESOME IN EVERY BOOK SHE WAS IN. I JUST LOVE HER TOO MUCH.
I love all of these character types! Also, I HEAR BY NOMINATE YOU TO PARTAKE IN THE LOVELY 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS BLOGGING CHALLENGE-https://breathinginthepages.wordpress.com/2015/12/11/12-days-of-christmas-blogging/!
OMG THANK YOU FOR THE NOMINATION, ERIN. 💕
I love all of these, especially the evil, clever masterminds, whatever that category with Kaz in it was is probably my favorite. They are so much fun to write to, I get to be all evil and plotty. You are right about characters named Isabelle, they are bitter espressos. I have a character named Isabelle and she is exactly how you described them.
THEY ARE!! And I love writing them too because it makes me feel smart….hehe. Zomg, so the Isabelle-theory is right?!😆THAT IS SERIOUSLY AWESOME THOUGH.
Ooh, I loved a lot of these characters, too! 😀 Like, in all honesty, I like ALL OF THESE CHARACTERS because they are so great. I would also just add that, even if Ranger’s Apprentice is less of a thing for you now, I also love Horace because he is a breakfast first kind of person. Who else? I like Scarlet… I like Percy Jackson (to some extent)… I like Kaz and I like Bartok.
Yup. Characters are beautiful things.
OMG I’M GLAD WE ARE IN AGREEMENT. I still love Ranger’s Apprentice though!! I mean, fond memories forever. <3 And also Halt. I love grouchy protectors.
1. OMG, YES. I love characters like this. The cleverer, the better. I can think of several examples, but most of them are adult books. My favorite of all time might be Lisbeth Salander from the Millenium trilogy. I would include Ellie Marney’s Mycroft on this YA list, though.
2. LOL, this is actually one of my biggest pet peeves. I swear, EVERY female MC has to be tiny-yet-deceptively-strong-and-badass. I’m not saying girls can’t be that, but all of them? Come on. I’d really like to see more average-sized heroines. But I love love both Zuzana and Blue, of course.
3. This one, though, I do like.
4. One word: CATH.
5. Luna <3
6. Bitterness + sarcasm = perfection. I would include characters who rarely smile in this.
8. You just had to mention Manchee, didn't you? </3
9. I LOVE a cute nerdy boy!
10. Yesssssss. It's annoying when characters suddenly realize they haven't eaten since lunch the day before. Cue massive eye roll. Food IS life, and eating is important. I don't like the message that it's okay not to eat if you're busy, etc.
yES ABSOLUTELY TO MYCROFT. And he also kind of fits on the “bad boy” list…because he really is a bit of a selfish snark at times, but he’s so well meaning underneath it all. *sniffles happily*
Aw, really?! I always love the tiny-dynamites, but I guess not ALL of them should be. I’d actually like to see more super tall heroines and the struggles that go with being mega tall. Why is that not a thing?!
CATH IS EVERYTHING.
Still not recovered from Manche…I still haven’t read the rest of the trilogy BECAUSE MANCHEE.
I also don’t like the unrealisticness of skipping food. What about low-blood-sugar? Surely I’m not the only one who is a little rabid beast before lunch time? BECAUSE FOOD MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY.
Mycroft. *__*
Right?! We should definitely have some tall heroines. (Not that I’m tall myself, but still.)
OMG, you have to finish the trilogy. The second and third books are so much better. The Ask and the Answer is my favorite, I think. Okay, so let’s binge read and then we can cry over our stomped-on hearts together.
EXACTLY. You’re definitely not the only one – I get so cranky when I don’t eat. The authors expect their characters to do all these strenuous physical activities on zero food, and it’s so unrealistic.
OH OH I WILL FINISH IT. Next year. Gah, I have pushed a lot of books to “next year” because, I mean it’s only halfway through the month, but once I hit 300 books I’m probably going to just pause reading so my books count towards next year. I KNOW THAT’S BAD. But I can’t help it. 😂
*whispers* You do realize that reading more books this year doesn’t mean you’ll read less next year, right?
I met my goal of 240 books and started to relax and watch some TV shows, but then I realized 250 is a much better number, so now I’m back to stressing out about reading again.
In other words, I get it!
I. KNOW. I have this stupid idea that I’ll read less next year and focus on writing more but HAHAHHA LET’S BE REAL. WHAT A JOKE. *dies* I do like finishing at nice numbers though, and 300 will be a very nice number. Plus I feel like books I read after Christmas I don’t really talk about because all the yearly recaps are done? So they feel under appreciated. *pets poor books*
I’m so glad you understand though. xD
Yes, to all of these. Especially the ones that defy expectations, because I totally know people like that: I’ve got a cousin who’s maybe 4’9″ and she does ballet but she loves zombies and horror movies and would totally kill you if you insulted her. So pretty much every time I read about a character like that I think of her. And the characters that are too nervous to eat? Pffft, you’re never too nervous to eat.
And I’m so glad you included dogs into a catagory. I loved Manchee. He was easily my favorite character in the first book. Poor Manchee.
AHHH YOUR COUSIN NEEDS TO BE IN A BOOK BASICALLY. 😝 And while I am not a feisty thing IRL…I am 5’1 and people underestimate how long and far I can walk/hike. Like I used to beat my brother in ALL outdoor activities and drove him nuts. :’) Underestimate small people and — BOOM — we gotcha.
Still not recovered from Manchee.😭
I love the cranky, grouchy, unapproachable characters. Deep down they’re exceptional people and fiercely loyal, they just lack anything that looks like friendliness on the outside. In fact, just a couple days ago my husband was reminiscing about Dragon Ball Z, and I said, “Wasn’t there a grouchy green guy who scowled all the time?” “What, you mean Piccolo?” “Yeah…I liked him.”
I couldn’t recall ANYTHING about the plot or main characters, but I remembered the crotchety green guy.
Oh, and Worf from TNG. He’s my hero. ^.^
THEY JUST NEED A HUUUUG. (Although they’d probably slap us in the face for trying, but…at least we care, right?) I love the cranky ones. Like Wolverine. 😊
Oh yeah! I love these characters! My favorite is the bookworm – hits close to home I guess lol This is a great list!
Same!! They are just so relatable and nothing is better than a relatable book character. 😊
I am with you in the whyyyyy-do-authors-think-that-every-animal-must-die. WHY. Especially in children’s books. WHY ARE YOU BREAKING POOR LITTLE CHILDREN’S HEARTS FROM SO EARLY. gahhhh.
Anyway, I love the post, and now I want to include some of these types in my writing. And I’m totally with you on #10. FOOD IS LIFE. Sometimes I find myself wondering “What are they gonna eat they don’t have supplies with them” or “how did they keep their food from not getting wet in all that rain they’re supposedly trudging through” and that’s why I love the Redwall series because food is esteemed very highly.
I DON’T KNOW BUT IT HURTS. We should petition authors to not be allowed pets if they’re going to kill them. *nods*
YAYY FOR FOOD IS LIFE AGREEMENT. XD And plus, books seem to forget how HUNGRY being outside makes you. I swear, I want to eat like a camel everyday if I go camping. And yet they climb a mountain and eat like two peanuts. GAH. I DON’T GET IT.
MANCHEE. *sobs* *flails* I WANT MANCHEE, GIVE ME MANCHEE NOW. MANCHEE.
*composes self* I love all these types of characters, especially the bitter espresso ones and the teeny people who can take out large people, and the large people who don’t live up to their image. Also people like Luna. Okay, I really like them all. I also like characters like Ruby from Imaginary Girls who are so selfish and yet loving and complicated and just probably horrible people to actually have in your life, but whatever. I think the only type of character I really dislike with a character is someone like Captain Janeway from Voyager (sorry, not a book, but I couldn’t think of any book characters I actively despise). I could go on for hours and hours about how much I loathe Janeway (and I know this from experience). Also, yes, I agree, it’s like this instant disconnect when no one cares about food because I am always up for food, even when I’m seriously upset about something. If I’m hungry, I’m hungry. And it always makes me roll my eyes when characters go without food for ages and ages but suffer no ill-consequences because if I accidentally skip lunch (which I did several times during NaNoWriMo), within a few hours my body explains to me in very plain terms how much it disapproves of my negligence.
*pats shoulder* I JUST BROUGHT UP THAT PAINFUL MEMORY TO MAKE US BOTH WAIL.😭
I really reeeally like Luna type characters. Every time I read one I ABSOLUTELY MELT. And I do like the horrible yet complicated characters…but they have to be done REALLY well to get me. Or else I just wan to smack ’em. Like Isabelle Lightwood is pretty snarky and mean, BUT YET I LOVE HER.
And how about low blood sugar??? Or like characters who need to have food to continue and get energy? WHY IS THIS NEVER A PROBLEM OMG. When I write, they stop for frequent snacks and get cranky when they’re hungry. *nods*
THIS POST. LET ME HUG IT.
I love character types and lists of them and just yes. I’ve been meaning to do a post of my fave character types foreverrr.
KAZ! Huzzah for devious masterminds. <3
3 is TOTALLY Eliot Spencer! *flails around* I love that category too! 😀
"I wish to go home and read a book" gif = best EVER. (It's from the Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell show — DID YOU SEE THAT?? OR READ THE BOOK? I'M INCREDIBLY CURIOUS ABOUT THIS)
Why are there no examples listed under Tortured Bad Boys etc?? BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY MY FAVORITE CATEGORY. I lurveth the anti-hero type (though I just am lame and call this whole group "Dark Guys" and my favorite characters to read (and write!) are them. *nods*
Ooh, dogs! I have two dogs in my current WIP. Count 'em, TWO! (One is an adorbz little fluffy white thing named Small Occasion and he's the sweetest thing; the other is named King Arthur Pen-dog-run. *nods seriously*)
I totally plan to have an adorkable bookloving hero of a book someday.
THIS WAS A FABULOUS LIST! My favorites are super hard to explain. -_- But I will totally do a post about it some year. XD
But the #7 dark guys are da BEST. <3
YOU SHOULD!! I would love to compare character loves with you!! and OF COURSE Eliot. Basically he smacks people and has fabulous hair AND loves food. I love Eliot way too much, okay? Okay. My firstborn child shall be named Eliot. OR MY FIRSTBORN FIsH OR … gah…pot plant? Whatever. Something will be named Eliot.
I haven’t seen Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell…should I?!
Zomg, I just forget to list ones under my tortured bad boys. Or else Wolf from Scarlet. <3
Fabulous hair + food love, yes. XD
Well, you should either SEE Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, or you should READ it… Or possibly both. 😀 The books is like 700 pages long and full of footnotes and it’s about an alternate-history England (with some of the Napoleonic wars) that has magic and I think you’d adore it (if it wasn’t too long/dry for you… but honestly I can’t predict). The show was a BBC mini-series that came out early this year and it’s a lot of fun though somewhat different from the book. But I still kind of adore it and in some ways they did a really good job adapting it; I just don’t know… ANYWAYS YES YOU MUST READ IT OR SEE IT OR BOTH! 😀 You’d love it. ^_^
I’m suddenly quite curious about Wolf from Scarlet. XD
OHhh, WELL I SHOULD AT LEAST TRY. *nods* I like to try things out of my comfort zone (and I kinda love footnotes, hehe). And if it produces gifs like that, I mean, gAWSH, what could go wrong?!?! XD
This post is incredibly true!!! Yes Percy is such a dork!! But he’s so adorable that ughhh, he’s just so cute!!!! You can tell I have formed a very strong love for him…. also Percy is another character who loves to eat!!!!And that is so fabulous and beautiful, because food is fabulous and beautiful!!! My point is I 100% agree with this post and it is extremely amazing.
CUTE ADORKABLE DORKS ARE MY FAVOURITE. Percy will forever be one of my favourites, hehe. And THANK GOODNESS Percy is also smart about food, because, omg how can so many characters have adventures without eating?!?!? I would die of low blood sugar and just be super cranky all the time.
I especially love petite female characters who can crack skulls! Down with preconceptions!! Also, adorkable characters are a must, and of course, big, bad boys who hide their softer side behind sass are pretty good, too.
I think I agree with most of the types on your list, Cait, and I have a special place in my heart for vers sassy heroines 🙂
YES. Characters who just break the “norm” are my utter favourites. They are adorable and undefined by society. *hugs them all* *probably gets smacked in the face* *but doesn’t care*
Great list!!! Some of them made me laugh loads. Its interesting how there are characters who we know are stereotypes and we STILL love them anyway. Thanks for sharing! I’ve missed Paper Fury loads.
OMG HELLO!!! AR EYOU BACK TO BE BLOGGING?? *dashes over to visit your blog*🎉
CAITBUNS 🙂 I am… for the most part and with much effort, back. XD My posts will be here and there while I get back on track. I have much catching up to do as well! I see you are consuming a ton of books, as always :3
Well I’ll look forward to reading them! 😀 *parties quietly* And yes, zomg, always reading. 😱I think I have an addiction….hehe
I love all these characters but antiheroes and dorks are my fave! Oh, also small characters who can totally kick your ass. And badass characters like Izzy Lightwood and Katniss <3 Awesome post, Cait! 🙂
yESSS. They are just so endlessly epic. And I am so short so I relate to that with the tiny kickass characters. I am just…hmm. Weak and uncoordinated. BUT IN TRAINING so one day I can be like Zuzana. :’)
In a book universe, I would either be the bitter sarcastic hero or the side character who dies within two chapters. Also a “breakfast first” character. I don’t understand people who don’t eat breakfast. Think of all the pancakes and waffles! They’re basically breakfast cakes. And Blue! I love Blue and those raven boys. I DON’T WANT THE RAVEN CYCLE TO EVER END! 🙁 LOVED this post to the moon and back, Cait!
I probably would too, tbh. Or I’d be the character that’s left behind to keep the door open or something and dies tragically. *sniffles* PEOPLE WHO DON’T EAT BREAKFAST ARE SUSPICIOUS CREATURES.
I WANT A RAVEN BOY OR 4 TO OWN FOR MYSELF.
YAAAAAAAAY. A POST ABOUT CHARACTERS THIS IS GOING TO BE SO YUMMY OMW. *snuggles it* “…despite adoring them, I’d run away screaming.” < SO TRUE THO AHAHA. “I love characters who invent complicated ploys to get things and they won’t stop for anything.”< okay yes me too. ♥ so much love it almost seems wrong but it's totally not. AHAHAA THE BARTOK GIF XD I LOVE YOU. “Who…can’t even…pop balloons because it’s terrifying, but let’s not discuss my fragile souled tendencies.” oh my gosh. DO YOU EVER GET TIRED OF ME QUOTING YOUR BRILLIANCE? i hope not because you crack me up so much oh man.
SIDE NOTE: I LOVE THE FEATHERS. squeak! they are just so PRETTY and pastel…♥ “They usually need someone to pin them to earth or they just la-la away.” OMG THIS IS 100% THE MAIN CHARACTER (my favorite creation heh) IN MY FAVORITE NOVEL THAT I’M STILL WORKING ON. AND I KEEP THINKING ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU WILL LOVE HIM TO BITS. GAH. okay done. but I really do think you’ll like him. ^.^
“(woah, original titles there, Marissa Meyer)” oh my word I just literally burst out laughing at this and everyone in my house was probably like, “wuuuut.” SO TRUE. xD AND IN LIFE, TOO — the name Isabelle.. I’ve only heard it used on a horse at riding lessons once and MAN SHE WAS A LITTLE SNIT. “And I particularly like it when they cover up their tragic pasts with witty banter and self-deprecating quips.” OMW AND YOU JUST DESCRIBED ANOTHER ONE OF MY CHARACTERS NFONKSNDJA. He is, in short, my literary crush. now and forever. amen. ♥
“why do authors so love to kill the animals?!” BECAUSE IT’S SO EASY MUAAHHA. no, actually, I haven’t found the heart (or lack thereof?) to kill a loyal dog yet, but I did have a loyal dog get left behind to the care of a not-so-competent older brother…and that was heartbreaking enough. XD
OKAY IF I WERE TO LIST MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS THEY WOULD ALL BE MY OWN CREATIONS AND THAT WOULD JUST NOT BE FAIR. so I kind of already blabbed about my other faves in my book awards post. *nods* I RARELY DO BOOKISH POSTS IT TAKES A LOT OUTTA ME. *gasps* *Cait slowclaps*
OKAY I’M DONE.
love,
abbiee
HOW CAN I GET TIRED OF YOU QUOTING MY BRILLIANCE? CLEARLY IT IS GREAT FOR MY EGO. *tries to stuff ego back under the bed* *fails* *ego dances in pineapple sunshine*
AHEM.
what was I even saying? Something intelligent of course…OH YEAH.
I’m glad you love my feathers. 😉 They came in the same graphic pack as the arrows and I just suddenly realised I should use them more beacuse PrETTY FEATHERS. I am going very tribal here. 😂
ALWAYS WATCH OUT FOR THE ISABELLE’S. They’re not to be trusted basically. *nods sagely*
Loyal dogs always get the ruff (HARHHAR HAR HARARRR) end of the deal.
BASICALLY ALL THE EPIC CHARACTERS. HUZZAH. Omg, my own characters are my babies too. 😅
I do really love a lot of these characters – bookish people that are actually bookish, sarcastic/humorous characters, characters that are different than they first appear, adorably awkward characters like Luna from Harry Potter. Seriously. I love SO MANY OF THESE! Characters are often what I most love about a book.
Luna is just so immensely wonderful. *hugs her* My only complaint is that she isn’t featured MORE in the books. XD Characters definitely win the book over for me. :’)
I love most of the characters here especially 1,2 and 9. Any character who seems even remotely villian-ish are my favourites! It kind of reminded me of Artemis Fowl, who I love so much. This was a great post!
Villains are absolutely awesome. ALL THE VILLAIN LOVE. *ahem* XD
I love girls who are short but still manage to be fierce. I don’t know, I think it just gives me a little hope as a fellow height-challenged person. 😉 And I like characters who cover up their tragic pasts with their sarcasm and banter – it makes them feel so much more complex, you know? And those who are criminal masterminds. Oddly enough, I also like characters who are the complete opposite – light, fluffy and happy – too. And loyal dogs are the best. Don’t even get me started with Manchee. 😭
Thanks for sharing Cait and, as always, fabulous discussion! ♥
I CAN ALWAYS LIVE IN HOPE I’LL TURN OUT LIKE BLUE OR ZUZANA. And yesss. Tragic but they still smile and joke?! Me likee. I actually had the light/fluffy/glittery category on here too but I decided I wnated to stop at 10. hehe. BUT I LOVE THEM. Because I’m like a Vulcan opposite, so it’s sometimes nice to read about a character who is all smiles and sunshine. XD
FOREVER TEARS WITH MANCHEE.😭
Did you have to bring Manchee into this!?!!? SOBBBBBBS. I’ll be back in a few hours, after the tear ducts have emptied completely.
Seriously, what is with those…. anti-humans who “can’t” eat? I can always eat. Never too nervous for cake, okay? The ONLY exception I’ll allow is Katniss on her way into the arena. Because… death match. And she doesn’t want to be puking in the cornucopia.
When I saw “Bad Boys”, I got scared. But then you clarified, and things were right with the world again. And I am way too jealous of the petite bone crushes, if I am being honest 😉
I just wanted to specifically torture you, Shannon. NEVER RECOVERED FROM MANCHEE. *gives you tissue* That’s like the entire reason I haven’t finished that trilogy yet…still…too…traumatised. *sobs*
I do not understand the anti-eaters. Like, SURE. The “devastating news” makes them upset or whatever, but how can they just not eat for like a 400 page book?! I do not compute. And at least Katniss ate copiously BEFORE the arena.
My absolute favourite is the evil masterminds because, just because. Yep, Kaz fits the category perfectly. Also, the bad boys are cool as well. Especially Will from The Infernal Devices.
I will emphatically agree with you there. XD I ALWAYS love the evil masterminds…Kaz fits like the bad boy category too, the little evil darling. :’)
OMGGGG TBH THIS POST WAS WORTH IT JUST FOR THE PHRASE “chortle like a happy melon.” THANKS, CAIT.
Alsooo… would you mind if I stole the idea for this post?! I probably won’t publish it any time soon (because I’m doing a bunch of Christmas/end of the year/beginning of the year posts) but yeah.
YOU’RE WELCOME. I DO TRY. :’) And of course! Go for it! 😀 I totally want to see your version!
THE BAD BOYS. Can I get a hell yeah? Let’s give it up for Rowan… *claps hands fervently*
*raises evil pompoms and starts to dance* YES AND YES FOR THE BAD
BUT SECRETLY GOODBOYS.Cait this is absolutely adorable! I love how you classified everyone so succinctly! The massive giant who is actually a softie is just so Hagrid like. You described the bad boy jerks I hate but sometimes they are great! And awww the bitter ones like Katniss. Fantastic post lovely!
Eeeep! Thanks, Jeann! 😀 And yes the bad boys can be sooo hit or miss. Like when they’re utterly insufferable I CANNOT STAND THEM. But when they’re secretly good with puppies or make the heroine coffee or just, gah, just the little adorable things?! I’m so up for that.
YES to all the things in this post, also, for gargantuan characters who are in actual fact squishy teddy bears, I immediately thought of Hagrid’s half-giant little brother grawp from Harry Potter xD
HUZZAH FOR THE CHARACTERS WHO ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM BASICALLY. XD
AGH I LOVE THIS POST! I totally agree with number 4 & 10. You’re right, books leak into every part of our lives in SOME way, and it doesn’t make sense for a character to love reading, but seems disconnected from the book world at the same time? ALSO, IT REALLY BUGS ME WHEN CHARACTERS DON’T EAT. When they’re too ‘nervous’ to eat or too excited or if they just play with their food and focus on the conversation instead. NO. Food is life, and how are you even living if you don’t eat?! Where do they get the energy to fight bad guys?! It’s exasperating stuff.
*nods emphatically* That’s exactly how I feel!! I mean I GET that the adventure does get in the way and like, they pause their reading to go and actually live the adventure through the story. But still!! It shouldn’t be allowed that they NEVER read or even think about their books. And I read sooo many stories where that happens. MERP. BOOKS ARE PART OF A BOOKWORM’S DNA.
When you mentioned tiny, petite girls who can crack skulls, I immediately thought of Zuzana (mostly because I’m currently reading that book, but also because I’m really loving her and expect her to become one of the memorable, favorite characters in my book of people I want to carry in my pocket all my life… but that wouldn’t work, would it? Because she’s feisty and would never settle in such a small space for too long). ANYWAY, now that that incredibly long run-off sentence is done. The “adorkable” ones ☺ Made me think of Jeffrey Lu from Jasper Jones; I adore him so much. I agree with each and every one you’ve got on that list!! I’m so sad I’ll never get to meet any of them D:
Yes. YES. ZUZANA. I will whisper that she is my favourite character of that series…I mean, Karou and co are EPIC. But Zuzanaaaaa. I think she would probably bite you if she lived in your pocket? BUT NO REGRETS.
I think we share favorites? I mean I love ALL THESE TYPES OF CHARACTERS, especially the intimidating character that is actually a squishy teddy bear. If I were to think of one right now, I guess I would say I find it interesting to read about characters who appear dark and brooding, but then on the inside they have a little heart. I think that’s what I want to say? Yes.
I ALSO LIKE characters that are intelligent, LIKE MILES. I love love loooooove Miles. I just want to squish him!
I WILL SHARE MY FAVOURITES WITH YOU, VAL. The squishy teddy bears that look really scary are EVERYTHING though. And I particularly like the “dark” characters who have, like, a squishy inside. So basically I like all the double-faced characters?! ERMAGERD I HAVE PROBLEMS.
I like the male character who shows vulnerability (rather than acting like a macho jerk to cover up some flaw). I think of characters like Gansey in The Raven Boys or R in Warm Bodies. I mean, they’re not saints, but they usually try to be decent people, even though they’ve got their own issues.
I also like characters who have a different way of viewing the world. Books like Room (where the narrator is a 5-year-old boy), Free as a Bird (where the narrator has Down syndrome), and The Art of Racing in the Rain (where the narrator is a dog) show me the world in ways I might not have thought of.
And I do like me some snark… if it’s done right. One of my favourite characters of all time is Gen from The Thief. He’s so wonderfully snarky and cheeky, and though you’d probably be rolling your eyes in exasperation if you actually had to go on a quest with him, he’s so much fun to read. (My love of his voice is probably the reason I never got into the rest of the series; unlike the first book, with Gen’s wonderful first-person narration, the rest of the books use the more detached third-person POV.)
yES. I can’t believe I forgot that trope but YES I LOVE IT TOO. Gansey is everything. Like smart, but not arrogant about it? (Like Kaz from Six of Crows is totally evil in his intelligence, whereas Gansey is kind in it. Gaaaansey. <3)
Omg I love the "different" view point too! I ADORE IT. I don't read enough of it, tbh, except for in Falling into Place where it’s narrated by an invisible friend. (THAT was original.)
I love almost all of the character types you listed above, especially number one and four. I also love super relatable characters. Either way, characters make a book better if they are done well.
OH OH I AGREE. And basically if a book is well written, I can be converted to loving ANY type of character. XD But these totally are my favourites. hehe.
All I have to say is YASSSSSSSSSSSS! Especially with #4!
~Sara
Nothing makes me happier than books about books. XD
🙂 Evil mastermind indeed…. And that’s why I’m going to gift myself Six of Crows this Christmas because y’all book people say it’s super awesome and I believe you! <3
Yourself has FABULOUS gifting skills to yourself then. *nods* I HOPE YOU LOVE IT. 😀
Characters who LOVE to eat are my favorite, HEHE definitely. And of course totally bookish characters! My favorite would be Belle from Beauty and the Beast HEHEH. This list was pretty much funny heheh, write more lists okay!?
You will ALWAYS FIND COPIOUS LISTS HERE. *nods* I love lists too much. XD And yES. Omg Belle had her priorities in order.
I LOVE THE WEIRD CHARACTERS. I mean, Loony Literate is even named after Luna, so you should know that already 😉 And the giant characters with big hearts (Hagrid, basically) – I love them as well <3 Actually, for all of them there's a Harry Potter character haha.
yES I LOVE LUNA SO MUCH. My biggest annoyance with Harry Potter is that there isn’t MORE Luna. She is a precious bean. So basically just Harry Potter. Because it makes use of ALL the epic character tropes. XD
JUST ALL THE SASSINESS YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU. Sassy characters who are also sweet and tender deep down are the best. Or even just the ones that are really sweet and then can be all sassy out of nowhere. OMG YOU DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH IT ANNOYS ME WHEN CHARACTERS SAY THEY DON’T FEEL LIKE EATING. You’d think all that drama and adventuring made them hungry??? Devious and clever masterminds are the best. But then aaalll the feels when you rely on them always to have a plan but they are finally broken and they don’t *sob*. Omg what if that happens to Kaz???? He came close to it in Six of Crows… No, no, no *shakes head*.
I loved this list, Cait! I find it really hard to identify character tropes I’m particularly fond of… I dunno, I just can’t spot them. Also, I think how I feel about a character is also influenced by the setting of the book and what other characters think of them. But I agree that it is really irritating when bookish characters… aren’t that bookish. I mean, come on! 😀
yessss. They get me EVERY time. I can’t love them enough. *hugs sad bitter coffee beans who are really nice beans inside* AGH YES I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THE FOOD. Especially the characters who haven’t eaten ind ays and then finally settle down to eat and “something upsets them”. Sure I’d be upset too. BUT I WOULD ALSO EAT. Because what about low blood sugar drops? What about lacking energy because NO FOOD. Gah.
Authors are mean. I’m sure Leigh Bardugo will have something maliciously awful planned for Kaz. *sobs on your shoulder*
Food first, forever. Great post! Not a dog, but can we have an honourable mention for Hedwig for No. 8? *sobs*
We agree on this 100%. AND YES HEDWIG TOO. All the furry creatures of loyalty and wonderfulness!
ALL OF THESE TROPES! ALL OF THEM! Sooooooo much yes! Once again, Queen Cait knows best! (Really, though, these are basically ALL my favorites and for once I don’t think I even have anything mildly-clever to add.)
I’ve been so concerned that my EVERY NaNoWriMo novel seems to feature a loyal-dog/loyal-canine-companion/loyal-furry-companion of some kind. It’s particularly concerning since they’re always my favorites to write (and they never talk, they just… non-verbally sass and defend everyone). But now you’ve reminded me of how much I actually LOVE that trope (duh, Lexie, it’s why you WRITE IT) and yaaaaaay!
Also, what sort of a defective alien forgets to eat?!
QUEEN CAIT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST. *bows regally*
Non-verbally sass everyone?! OMG. I ALREADY LOVE YOUR FURRY COMPANIONS. <3 Despite how much I loooove loyal furry creatures, I've only written one. AND I KILLED IT. *sobs for a thousand years* That is 94398% of the reason I abandoned that draft.
AGH I KNOW RIGHT?! How can one forget food. Tbh, it's the first thing I think about in a crisis…I’m suuuuuure I’m noooormal.
BUT I LOVE THEM ALL. ESPECIALLY #7. DO NOT MIND MY SWOONING. (Anytime someone mentions “bad boy”, I combust.)
Katniss is such a bitter little coffee bean. She deserves every ounce of the world’s love. Ooh, Isabel from City of Bones! (But they’re both such badass coffee beans, no???) Loyal dogs AW. I feel ashamed to not know either of them. 🙁 Isn’t Dug from the Disney movie, Up? So darling, though?
I SHALL COMBUST WITH YOU. And no regrets. XD Omg I adore the badass coffee beans more than words can say. They just need looooove (and then they’d probably smack you in the face for saying that BUT STILL. ADORABLE. BITTER. COFFEE. BEANS.)
Dug counts a billion percent because he is the adorablest of them all.
I actually like most of these character types too! Especially #1, #5, and #6. – For #1, I’d add Artemis Fowl, Sherlock Holmes, and both L and Light from Death Note (manga + anime)
I also love:
1. Villains that are really, truly evil, but who are so interesting or sympathetic that you often feel conflicted about them.
2. Female characters that are strong and awesome and layered, but not kickbutt ( I mean, I love the latter, but I feel like they’re more common).
3. Basically any stereotypical rōnin or wandering, disgraced warrior. These might be my favorite characters ever.
4. Slightly sinister or suspicious servants/butlers/hired help/etc, who are masters at their jobs.. Whether they’re Alfred (Batman), Mrs. Danvers, or the demon butler Sebastian from Black Butler makes no difference to me.
Oh yes to Sherlock! I haven’t actually read Artemis Fowl (I KNOW SHAME ON ME…next year’s goal!?) but I’ve heard a ton about his evil genius. 😂
Omg I do love those kind of villains too. Like just really CAPABLE villains?! Dumb villains tick me off so bad. >_>
AND YES TO THOSE FEMALE CHARACTERS TOO. I do love the ones that can totally kick someone in the face, but I also like the any character who is just complex and layered and interesting. *nods* I think the kickbutt ones often aren’t well developed for some reason? Which is sadness.
“I think the kickbutt ones often aren’t well developed for some reason? Which is sadness.”
YES! Exactly. I love the kickbutt ladies as long as they are characters first. Yael in Wolf by Wolf was a notable exception this year 🙂
I am totes with you on #1 and #2. Love cleverness and snarkiness and little kickassery.
NOTHING BEATS THEM.😂
FOOOOOD!!!! YES!!!!!! I just read an adult fiction book called Good enough to eat. Now, the storyline was just okay, but what really made me love it was the FOOD!! Every chapter had a title that was a type of food and then the character would describe a childhood meal associated with that food. Then there were RECIPES for those dishes in the back!! Man, that book made me hungry, especially the chapter with the title BACON! Who doesn’t love bacon???
I also love characters that are just plain evil. No good side or redeeming qualities necessary. Maybe it’s because I could never be evil in real life so I admire people who are (in books,, anyway).
Zomg, I could handle a book like that. I COULD. There’s a book I’ve seen with something about Lemon Cake in the title, and Idek care what the books about I JUST WANT TO READ IT BECAUSE CAKE. #priorites People who don’t love bacon are fooling themselves.
SO MUCH YES to this list! I love basically all of these. When someone looks tiny and frail and/or beautiful and is TOTALLY BADASS like Isabel from City of Bones or when someone looks like they’re a bodyguard, but actually they’re also super smart (like Mitch from Vicious. And, you know, I should by all expectations dislike Jace from TMI, but I just love him to bits. He’s SO tragic and SUCH a tortured hero, but he’s witty as hell, so I can’t frown at it too much. Maybe it’s because I started the series when I was a lot younger, so it has nostalgic value, but I just love the banter too much to care about the THIS IS SO TRAGIC tropes. Instead, I’m super amused by them these days (I definitely emphasized with the tragedy a lot more as a teenager haha), which probably wasn’t the intended effect, but hey, as long as I like it, right?
Zomg Mitch from Vicious was one of the most precious things in this universe. He is EXACTLY the kind of character I adore. :’) JACE IS ADORABLE…and insufferable sometimes, but I love him and his snark. He is like the Tony Stark of the Shadowhunter world. *sniffs happily* And I only read The Mortal Instruments last year and LOVE IT TO BITS. XD So I hear ya!
So characters #2 and #4 solidify that you need to read the Mistborn books! Vin is small but awesome and powerful, and Elend legit loves books. HE TAKES THEM TO FANCY BALLS.
I have read the first Mistborn book! I NEED TO READ MORE THOUGH. <3
Ugh I love characters. It’s like, the plot is the essence of the cake, but the characters are all the goodness that makes the cake so tasty!
I also love the tiny/gargantuan characters that are so much more than they appear. It makes me feel as though there’s hope for everyone. It pleases me that one day I may become a ninja.
Also, Will Herondale totally popped into my brain spaces when you mentioned the ‘bad boy’ with the sassy humour to cover the tragic backstory. I can’t say I’ve ever noticed a pattern, but I’ve always loved characters like that. Now I know what to call it 😛
And dogs are totally characters. As are cats. Yay animals. ❤️
#7 all the way. I love the way you draw a distinction between the stupid/violent.whatever bad boys and the assassin/spy bad boys who don’t like what they’ve become. Or accept the hard choices that have to be made in a hard world. Covering up their tragic past with sassy banter makes it all awesome.
Banter in general makes almost any character more fun – whether they’re the sassy best friend or the quippy fun guy in the group. or the snarky sibling. They’r all fun 🙂
YAS! I think a major one I need to add is the funny sidekick (basically Kenji from the Shatter Me series). The one that you can’t help but love, and that is flirty to an extent with the main character, but not seriously, just for the sake of making fun of the main character. Do you know what I mean? The character that you can laugh at their jokes DAYS later in random places because they were so funny the first time you read them.
OMG HOW DID I FORGET THE FUNNY SIDEKICK!?!? I love them too. Kenji basically made that series for me. 😜 Have you read the Lunar Chronicles and met Thorne?!? He’s the same. All flirty and everything with the heroine, but you don’t ship them because they’re just FRIENDS. And it’s really awesome!!
I love the devious masterminds and the petite kickass heroines. Now when it comes to food, weeell, just in case you haven’t read it, then you NEED to read the Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill. You will find a devious mastermind and a SERIOUS food lover all in one series… yeah… 🙂
I have NOT heard of the Chicagoland Vampires. 😜 I may need to look that up (as long as it’s actual food and not humans-are-food!?!? bahhahaha) AHEM.
I like grey characters. They seem to be.. realistic. Hey, we share Luna as a favourite characters 😀
But from Harry Potter, the best I like is Severus Snape. Like, I said, a grey character.
Yay for Luna fans!! I seriously wish she had more time on the page though because AHHH SHE IS A HIGHLIGHT. I’m reading book 7 right now and really can’t see how I’m going to turn around and like Snape.😂 But I’m excited for this plot twist!!
OH MY GOD I CAN’T POP BALLOONS EITHER I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE. IT SCARES ME. A LOT. And all these tropes *flails* I love characters like this too! Also Manchee *sobs* I haven’t read the rest of the trilogy yet, so I’m desperately hoping that it was fake and he’s okay 😭
YOU AND I ARE TWINS IN THIS, MICHELLE. Popping balloons is the worst thing in the universe. I can watch scary murdery shows, but can I pop a balloon? NO. AHEM. 😂 I…I confess I haven’t finished the Chaos Walking series either because of Manchee. 😭
Great post! I think all the bookworms have #4 in common! 🙂
I also have a weak spot for adorable, gangly humans.
Oh, and the dorks!
;D
THEY ARE TOO ADORABLE FOR tHIS WORLD. *loves them fiercely*
okay so i just discovered that if i scroll my cursor over your recommended posts THEY ZOOM IN ALL SLOW AND DRAMATIC LIKE *zooms over images for hours* …What?
Oh yeah I was commenting
ahem, I LOVE ALL THE CHARACTERS YOU HAVE MENTIONED! I think you listed all the best kinds tbh
YES TO ALL OF THESE!!! I am a big fan of all of these. As a fellow small person, I do love a small girl who can kick some serious ass. Like Tris. But then they ruined it by casting someone who was not at all like Tris was described. Although I loved Shailene, I still wish we could have kept our small heroine. DAMN THEM!
Omgggg, I’m so glad you think Tris was wrongly cast too. XD ME TOOOOO. 😂 I think she makes the perfect Hazel, but I can’t see her as Tris. And it ruined it for me how they cast Christine as a smaller person. So Tris doesn’t even seem small? Like. WHAT EVEN FOLKS. Gah.
Yes. All the yes. Dorks and bookworms and fangirls and foodies. Because if you rolled all of that into one person, you’d get me. <— Also I need more klutzy characters like I need air to breathe because I AM A GIGANTIC KLUTZ. Like Tonks, I love Tonks. Tonks is the best.
I tend to love most every character (including most of yours ^), so it's harder to narrow that down, but I can think of ships I love:
1. The fabulous slow burn where everybody else can see how in love they are except for the two people involved who thinks they're doomed to unrequited love. (AND USUALLY THIS ONE ENDS IN ALMOST-TRAGEDY AND MY HEART I CAN'T.)
2. The sarcastic/"bad boy"/secret teddy bear type with the supremely adorable little and sweet shy girl (*coughs* Thress *coughs again*)
3. The constantly bickering couple with wit and dry humor to spare and they're basically just two really grumpy characters but it's so cute cause it's obvious they're so in love.
4. The mushy ship with all the love and cuteness who get excited about everything and have tons of awesome adventures and genuinely love to be together.
5. Best friends turned couple.
I love this post! I especially love nos. 1 (I’m kinda reminded of Nancy Drew about this because she is REALLY smart and also a REALLY good detective. She’s not evil or devious though. Still, I love her and she was the first smart and bad-ass book character that I knew!), 4 (I’m ALL about books. OBVIOUSLY. :D), 6 (I loove me some Katniss and Izzy! Kick-ass females RULE!), 7 (For some reason I’m really attracted to “Bad” boys. I mean they’re just so emotionally vulnerable and broken and so angsty that I just wanna hug their sorrows away. Plus when they’re not being “Bad” they happen to be the sweetest guys around. *cough* Warner *cough*), and 9 BECAUSE PERCY IS BAE!! Dorks are CUTE! 😀
And I know they weren’t included in your list but also REALLY adore the dreamy, prince-y, artsy male characters who are super loyal to the loves of their life and would do anything for them and even put up with their irrational whims (looking at you Maxon and Peeta :D). They’re not necessarily strong fighters but you admire them for having such big hearts and such a huge capacity to love. Besides who doesn’t want guys like that? I mean that’s why we have fictional boyfriends/girlfriends right because the qualities they possess are EXTREMELY RARE in real life guys or they don’t exist. AT. ALL. T.T
YAYYYY. THIS COMMENT IS THE BEST. *gives you cake* And zomg Katniss is amazing, right?!? 😛 IZZY!! Those are girls I totally want to stand behind in the apocalypse. *ahem* Because I am…a weak melon. And same about those kind of “bad” boys, particularly when they’re not really “bad” and it’s just a facade?!? Zomg. My beating heart.
ZOMG ME TOOOOO. FOR THE DREAMY WHIMSICAL GUYS. I mean, I kinda put that in with the whimsical ones? But yes absolutely, the ones who are just adorably loyal and sweet. :’) Peeta. <3
Thanks for the compliment! Can I have a red velvet cake? Hahaha. XD
Anyway this was a truly interesting post! I hope there will be more lists like this in the future. 🙂
I hate all of those. But particularly I hate snarky characters, and I HATE the Buffy Sue. The tiny girl that can somehow beat up big men. Its just so annoying. And I am a timy girl. And NO, I can’t beat up a big man. And I don’t think that makes me inferior to them. I especially hate the tiny girl that beats up big men and cracks a snarky comment first. I stop reading at that point.
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