New BFFs from 2012
It should surprise nobody when I say I'm a character driven reader. I will forgive a lot of issues with plot and setting if you give me some characters I can really fall in love with. That in mind, I thought it would be fun to list some of my favourite characters from among the ones I've met in the past year.
I had to set a few ground rules for something like this, though. First, they had to be people I'd actually want to spend time with. There are many characters I admire for being well written or incredibly charming from a distance, but I'd never want to be caught in a room with them. Secondly, they had to be characters I met this year. Recurring characters I revisited in a sequel to that book I enjoyed from last year didn't count. So with all that in mind, who are my new literary BFFs?
-Agents Books and Braun from the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences
I had to take them both, they're pretty much a matched set. Actually, it's rare that a book with more than one protagonist has me falling in love, especially given that Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are so very different from each other. But those differences are what make them complement each other so well, and both characters are so delightfully quirky and fun that I can't help but want to spend more time with them.
-Lord Akeldama from the Parasol Protectorate
I know, he's a secondary character, but for me it was the strong supporting cast that made these books stand out as much as they did. Lord Akeldama would be fun to hang out with: more clever and insightful than he first seems, he'd be able to help you pick out the most flattering wardrobe ever while setting you straight on whatever stupid life mistake you were about to make and have you laughing while he did it. Awesome.
-Oberon from the Iron Druid Chronicles
I liked Atticus, too, but Oberon made me smile every time he showed up, and I'm not even a dog person. Whether he's trying to emulate Genghis Khan, come up with reasons why he should be given an extra snack, or jumping up to protect his person from "the man," there's something so endearing about Oberon's wholehearted sincerity.
-Queenie from Code Name Verity
This was very nearly a tie, but in the end Queenie just edged Maddie out for being my favourite. She's the type of friend who'd keep you on your toes, because you'd never know what she'd do next, but no matter what it was it'd be something worth remembering. Courageous, smart, with a wicked sense of humour, I kind of want to be her, but the next best thing is keep her close by on my shelf.
-Wink from the Gaslight Chronicles
Again, not one of the main character, but a significant secondary character, and actually one who's just gotten her own book
, which I'm excited to read. If it's not obvious by now, I'm all into the quirky side characters, and as the mechanically-minded, teenaged orphan who can kill a vampyre with the best of them, Wink pretty much hits all my favourite tropes in one character.
So basically, this could be the best tea party ever. Or at least, it would be far from boring. And now that you've heard mine, who are your new literary BFFs?
I had to set a few ground rules for something like this, though. First, they had to be people I'd actually want to spend time with. There are many characters I admire for being well written or incredibly charming from a distance, but I'd never want to be caught in a room with them. Secondly, they had to be characters I met this year. Recurring characters I revisited in a sequel to that book I enjoyed from last year didn't count. So with all that in mind, who are my new literary BFFs?
-Agents Books and Braun from the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences
I had to take them both, they're pretty much a matched set. Actually, it's rare that a book with more than one protagonist has me falling in love, especially given that Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are so very different from each other. But those differences are what make them complement each other so well, and both characters are so delightfully quirky and fun that I can't help but want to spend more time with them.
-Lord Akeldama from the Parasol Protectorate
I know, he's a secondary character, but for me it was the strong supporting cast that made these books stand out as much as they did. Lord Akeldama would be fun to hang out with: more clever and insightful than he first seems, he'd be able to help you pick out the most flattering wardrobe ever while setting you straight on whatever stupid life mistake you were about to make and have you laughing while he did it. Awesome.
-Oberon from the Iron Druid Chronicles
I liked Atticus, too, but Oberon made me smile every time he showed up, and I'm not even a dog person. Whether he's trying to emulate Genghis Khan, come up with reasons why he should be given an extra snack, or jumping up to protect his person from "the man," there's something so endearing about Oberon's wholehearted sincerity.
-Queenie from Code Name Verity
This was very nearly a tie, but in the end Queenie just edged Maddie out for being my favourite. She's the type of friend who'd keep you on your toes, because you'd never know what she'd do next, but no matter what it was it'd be something worth remembering. Courageous, smart, with a wicked sense of humour, I kind of want to be her, but the next best thing is keep her close by on my shelf.
-Wink from the Gaslight Chronicles
Again, not one of the main character, but a significant secondary character, and actually one who's just gotten her own book
, which I'm excited to read. If it's not obvious by now, I'm all into the quirky side characters, and as the mechanically-minded, teenaged orphan who can kill a vampyre with the best of them, Wink pretty much hits all my favourite tropes in one character.
So basically, this could be the best tea party ever. Or at least, it would be far from boring. And now that you've heard mine, who are your new literary BFFs?