TOP TEN TUESDAY | CHARACTERS I CONSIDER FRIENDS

The best books are ones that feel real, like you’ve actually stepped into them and live, for a time, in their world. Because of this, the characters we find there often feel just as real to us as the people we bump into in real life. There are characters I have loved, hated, learned from and wanted to save. Here are some of my favourites, the ones that have found a special place in my heard and taken up residence there.

Cassandra Mortmain from I Capture the Castle

I loved Cassandra when I first met her. We were around the same age, and both had been through some stuff that made us more sensitive and more afraid of the world we were about to step into. She and I spent some lovely rainy afternoons in one another’s company, and she has stuck with me for years since.

Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables

It’s impossible to be a bookworm and not feel that Anne is a kindred spirit. There is something particularly magical and heartbreaking about her hope and desire to be loved in spite of a life that has been cruel and hard. There is something incredibly special about Anne, and I’m glad I met her when I did.

Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter books

How can I not include Hermione? She is someone I think we will all agree on wanting to befriend. Or be. Either way.

Augustus Waters from The Fault In Our Stars

Don’t get me wrong, I liked Hazel Grace too. I probably see more of myself in her. But Augustus… he is a rare gem. His humour, his ability to squeeze every last drop of joy out of life no matter how bad it gets – I just love him.

Will from If I Fall, If I Die

There seems to be a theme with a lot of my picks this week. They are different in some way, they don’t fit in, they are sensitive, they have had to grow up too fast. Will is another of these characters. He is also brave and loyal and kind. I loved his sense of adventure, and I enjoyed every minute I spent in his world.

AJ Fikry fom The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

I’m really looking forward to re-reading this book now that I’m a mother. I feel like the connection I felt to this story and its characters the first time around will only deepen now that I know what it is to be a parent and to take responsibility for the care and nurturing of a tiny human.

Starr Carter from The Hate U Give

I don’t feel as strongly connected to Starr as I do to some of the other characters on this list, but I have so much admiration for her. She is a character we need in literature, and need to see more often. She, through no fault of her own and thanks to a broken social system, ended up in the middle of a huge mess, and her experience and strength will, I’m sure, help a new generation of young people develop and follow their moral compass.

Taylor Greer from The Bean Trees

There is something about Taylor I can’t help but love. Her desire to be let loose in the world, to face it head on, but her willingness to bend to fate when it delivers something quite different to her. She has a huge capacity for love, and despite her young age doesn’t shy away from taking on responsibilities that, while extremely challenging, will also bring joy and magic into her life.

Rhoda from Black Dove, White Raven

When I first read this book I don’t think I really understood just how remarkable Rhoda is, but she is truly amazing. Not only was she a single mother in a time dominated by male breadwinners, but she was a pilot and adopted a black child. She then moves her children to the other side of the world so they can experience his heritage, despite the challenges and obstacles all of these choices bring. She is one of the strongest female role models I’ve found in literature, and now that I’m a mom myself, I really see just how much courage and resilience she had.

Mark Watney from The Martian

Last but definitely not least. I can’t imagine many characters I’d want to hang out with more than Mark Watney. I mean, aside from all the stories he’d have to tell, his sense of humour and intelligence are ace. He’s a perfect combination of wit and wisdom that makes him one of my favourite characters to spend time with.

There are so many other friends I have made between the covers of books, and I have learned something from each of them. I wouldn’t trade my fictional friends for anything, and I am constantly making new ones.

Which characters made it onto your list this week? Do we have any in common?

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly link-up feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Every week TTT has a different topic, and everyone who links up has to create a link of ten items that fit that topic. To see past and upcoming topics, go here.