This week, the Book Chat prompt was all about sharing your favorite male character...
Did I say character? Yeah, I meant characters. There was basically no way I was going to be narrowing this one down. In my opinion, the male character can make or break a novel, mainly ones with a female protagonist. Whether he be a love interest, best friend, antagonist, father figure or knight in shining armor, he needs to be memorable, lovable, and challenging.
Therefore, I have devised a little list to showcase some of my favorites.
My top 5 Males of Fiction:
5. Adam Wilde of If I Stay and Where She Went
Honestly, I liked the sequel more than the original simply because I got more of Adam, who narrates the sequel (Why didn't we get a picture of him on the cover?). I adore Adam because he is the devoted boyfriend, but he is not Mr. Perfect. He shows a full spectrum of emotions including regret, self-acutalization and destruction, resentment, and confusion; whereas most other male characters only know brooding and adoring.
4. Augustus Waters of The Fault in our Stars
In general, the characterization in this book is outstanding, but Augustus is especially remarkable. The subject matter here is pretty heavy and having characters like Augustus gives the novel the right kind of humor and cynicism to balance the mood. John Green succeeded in creating a character that was so fun and easy to fall in love with because it wouldn't have had the same impact if he had not. Well played sir.
"My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations."
-The Fault in our Stars {John Green}
3. Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice
Oh my dear sweet Mr. Darcy. Even when we hated you, we still loved you. The first fictional man to appreciate the wit and intelligence of an independent thinking woman...you have paved the way for so many.
Oh my dear sweet Mr. Darcy. Even when we hated you, we still loved you. The first fictional man to appreciate the wit and intelligence of an independent thinking woman...you have paved the way for so many.
"Now be sincere; did you admire me for my impertinence?"
"For the liveliness of your mind, I did."
-Pride and Prejudice {Jane Austen}
2. Jamie Fraser of Outlander (series)
There is something infuriatingly lovable about Jamie Fraser. He is that devoted love interest that everyone is looking for, but there is so much more to him. At times, my blood boils with frustration over the things he does, but he always seems to redeem himself. The best thing about Jamie is that he has a strong, headstrong woman to match his boldness.
1. Max Vandenburg of The Book Thief
The role of Max in YA lit these days is a miracle. He is not a love interest or antagonist. He is something much more important. His significance is that he parallels the novel's heroine, Liesel. Together, they signify hope and triumph. He compliments her and strengthens her. His character is so genuine and selfless. He is both heartbreaking and uplifting. He is the heart of this novel for me.
Well, there's my list! Can't wait to see what you all have to share. Link up below!
And you guessed it...next week we're going to share some notable female characters. You can talk about the ones you loved or the ones you hated. Make a list or comparison. Anything goes. Can't wait!
6 Comments
I'm in the middle of the Outlander series and I swear Jamie Fraser is EXACTLY like my husband. So of course I love him!
ReplyDeleteYou literally took the words out of my mouth for Max. Where I was all "I love Max!" you managed to write these beautiful sentences about the story. Really pretty! I also just picked up If I Stay a couple weeks ago and plan on reading it VERY soon. I'm glad to see it's a good guy character (although I skipped the details of him so I can judge for myself hehe) but I know if you liked him there's a good chance I will too! Next week is going to be so tough!
ReplyDeleteHaha! I kept wanting to write "I love Max" or "I love Augustus". I had to bust out the thesaurus for this one.
DeleteIf I Stay is a quick easy read, but like I said, if you really want to get to know Adam, read the sequel. I love novels with males in the first person. They're rare.
I love the way you described Max! The only other book I've read on that list is Pride and Prejudice (obviously), but I requested Fault in Our Stars a few days ago from the library, so hopefully it will be my turn soon. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a great book. You could easily read in a day.
DeleteHey Jessica! I found your blog on Let Them Eat Cake's southern bloggers page. I'm from Alabama too! Mind me asking what part of Alabama you live in? I love your blog, btw!
ReplyDeleteComments are my favorite...