While it's always fun to compile favorites lists for books, I realized that I felt some of my favorite characters went unnoticed. Characters become a bit like friends, they live in my mind long after I've finished reading the book. I decided to revisit these friends one last time.
Peeta from The Hunger Games and Catching Fire
No list of favorite characters would be complete without Peeta. I fell head over heels for him, for his imperfection, his goodness, and his love for Katniss. I am really not kidding at all when I say I don't understand Team Gale and I am working on my response to Adele's well thought out Team Gale argument. Peeta is love.
Fin Button from The Fiddler's Gun
I dearly loved many of the characters from this book, but Fin stands out for her courage and her stubbornness. I don't think I read a character as compelling and convincingly drawn this year, a character that really feels alive apart from the book and one whose future I am deeply invested in.
Alex Morales from The Dead and the Gone
I loved Alex. I loved that he did so much that was right while so much was wrong but that he was still a teenage boy. I felt deeply for him and grieved that such a heavy burden was placed on his shoulders. My hope was shattered when his hope was shattered.
Go-Boy from Sometimes We're Always Real Same-Same
When reading this book, I was far more invested in the future of Go-boy than Cesar. I really liked him, and wanted to see him find peace. His journey in the book is one of pain, but I feel like I learned from Go-boy.
Mary Margaret from the The Passion of Mary Margaret
I loved this quirky woman who loved God throughout her entire life and spoke to Jesus face to face. There wasn't anything not to like and her story has stayed with me and will continue to do so.
It's been fun meeting so many fantastic characters in my reading. I know some of them I will encounter again. I like many aspects of books, but I always love a fully realized character...and I hope to meet many more in 2010.
Who are some of your favorite characters from 2009?
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Characters I loved in 2009
Posted by Amy at 10:43 PM
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30 comments:
Totally agree about Peeta. He was the BEST thing in Catching Fire along with Katniss of course. There was so much worth admiring in him. He tops my list :)
Alex was also one of my fav characters. Eventhough being a teenager, the way he handles his situations and cares for his siblings is worth applauding.
One character who stood out for me in 2009 reads was Yelena from Study Series by Maria Snyder .I read all 3 biiks in 2009 so I think I can add her to the list. She is by all counts my fav heroine of fantasy series to date ..
A great list! I loved William Fiennes, who is in fact a real person, who wrote The Music Room, about growing up in a castle with his severely epileptic brother. He is someone I would love to meet.
I'm on Team Peeta too - just love him. I can't wait to see your arguments in his favor!
I love the way you described those characters - friends. Ones who live in our head long after the book is done. I think that is the key to a good story!
Hell yeah! Team Peeta all the way. Yeah...I don't get the whole Gale thing either. Silly Katniss.
Oh, I've been bad checking my Reader for the last couple of weeks but I saw you were mentioned in the NYTimes on this article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/books/31babysitters.html
That's so cool!!
What a great way to review a year's worth of reading. I will have to keep that in mind for next year :)
My favorite character from 2009 was Aibileen from Kathryn Stockett's, The Help.
I agree on Peeta! Well, I'm more of a Team Katniss, because I don't think she's ready to get into a relationship at that moment in the books but... yeah, if I have to pick? No hesitation yet!
I haven't read The Dead and the Gone yet, but now I can't wait to!
What a great look back at 2009! I agree, not enough attention gets paid to characters sometimes. And I'm totally with you on Peeta.
Great idea for a post! I'm sad to say I haven't read any of the books you mentioned. :(
I have to admit, I don't understand the Peeta/Gale argument at all. Katniss shouldn't be with either of them. I personally like both guys, but I'm completely TeamKatniss. She should stay strong and independent until she finds someone she actually loves instead of just going for one of the guys who love her. :D
Go team Peeta!!
Go-Boy, from Same-same, was really a character to care about. I really didn't catch on, right away, that he was mentally unstable.
My favorite character from 2009 was Hester Latterly from the Inspector Monk series by Anne Perry - I'm up to the 4th book now and enjoy her more with each one. The setting is Victorian England and the books are crime mysteries. Hester is single, 30 (too old to marry so they say)and living on her own and has spent several years as a nurse with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War. She's curious, outspoken (but learning to bite her lip) and very unselfconscious and transparent. In the first book she gets involved with solving crimes as an adjunct to nursing. She sits up and gets involved and appears to be attention from a couple of men (including Monk) although she's not pretty in the usual way.
Fun list but I just don't get Peeta love.
You are right, Peeta IS love. Sometimes the bad boys (not that Gayle is bad, but "badder" than Peeta) are tempting.
I agree with Molly, Aibileen was just adorable. I loved her and wanted to hug her.
I was totally intrigued with Lisbeth Salander (Girl with the Dragon Tatoo). I'd never read about a character as enigmatic as she was.
I also enjoyed Fumero's evilness (Shadow of the Wind). I didn't like him, I detested him, but in a delicious literary way!
I'm actually glad to see a few comments supporting Team Katniss - my 15-year-old is on that one, and I lean that way myself, but if push comes to shove regarding the guys, I'm Team Gale unless Book 3 gives me reason to regret that choice :-).
My favorite character of the year, which I FORGOT to mention in my year-end review: Enzo, the dog from The Art of Racing in the Rain. He absolutely makes that book.
Well, I have yet to read The Hunger Games so I have to go with Lisbeth from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I LOVE her.
I also loved Bliss from the book that I just finished (Finn). He's a black, blind guy that makes moonshine and although he wasn't a main character, he stole stage.
I also loved "Lily" the transgendered character based on a true story (The Danish Girl).
It was good of you to give Adele's great argument a link! I especially agree about the opportunity thing. It's like David versus Zane in the Scott Westerfeld trilogy - David didn't have the opportunity, or even the self-confidence. So was it fair that she loved Zane and dumped David? No, just as unfair as what happened to Gale! :--)
This is a great way to think about the year in review! I think I'll have to say that Olive Kitteridge (the title character) is my favorite one. She's flawed, but fascinating.
Gale. Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale Gale .
Besides Hunger Games, I haven't read any of the books you mention.
However, I remember that I actually had mixed feelings about whom I liked better, Peeta or Gale. I guess I have to read Catching Fire to which way the scale goes :)
I'm totally Team Peeta too :)
I also fell in love with Sam when I read Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.
I so agree about Go-Boy. He really touched my heart.
I do love Peeta, and he absolutely broke my heart during Catching Fire, but I wouldn't say I'm Team Peeta... mostly because I think he deserves better than Katniss. :)
I don't even understand the Peeta/Gale debate. Yes, both guys like her, but I don't think she really likes either of them.
But my favorite boy of literature this year... definitely Michael from the last Princess Diaries book! (Well, he's from all of them, but the last one is the one that came out this year!)
I love this post, Amy! I wish I'd written one...it's all about the characters for me too.
I love Peeta, not just as a character, but for how she has influenced my 12 year old daughter. While I like The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, my daughter re-read them endlessly. I appreciate how Peeta is a role model that is concerned with issues other than romance.
I'm with you. I loved Peeta.
Peeta FTW! (of course!)
As I catch up on my feed reading you know I have to comment on this by saying TeamPeeta rules! I'm right there with you on the not understanding Gale thing but I guess it could be said that Gale lovers don't understand us!
**whispers** not quite sure how but still
LOL
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