Characters That Are My Book Doppelgangers (Ft. Explosions and Mishaps)

Posted May 7, 2019 by Sammie in about me, chat with me, top ten tuesdays / 43 Comments

Every now and then, you find a book where the author clearly used you as inspiration for one of the characters.

Not sure exactly how, since you’re pretty sure you’ve never met. Maybe they’re stalking you. Maybe they’re in your interwebs, spying through your webcam. MAYBE THEY’RE IN YOUR BRAIN!

dop·pel·gäng·er
/ˈdäpəlˌɡaNGər/
noun
an apparition or double of a living person.

They say that everyone has a doppelganger. It just so happens that mine live in books. And sometimes are different genders. And occasionally, they’re a little better at getting away with murder or not dying. But … I mean, it’s close enough, right?

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is about characters that remind me of myself.

Heart Divider

✦ Maxwell from St. Mary’s Chronicles ✦

✿ Has all the best intentions … some of the best intentions …
✿ … well, has intentions.
✿ Geeks out over all the best historical events.
✿ You know, the ones with, like, murder and mayhem.
✿ The explosions were totally not her fault. Mostly. Probably.
✿ Also not her fault if all her well-laid plans go awry and people try to kill her.
✿ Homicidal tendencies may be a natural reaction to her presence.

‘Yes,’ I said, enthusiastic at the opportunity. And even more enthusiastic at the thought of leaving my emotionally tangled life behind me for a while, and enjoying something as simple and straightforward as running for my life while being pursued by a blood-crazed mob, or succumbing to some deadly plague in the dim and distant past.


✦ Cassie from The Animorphs ✦

✿ First brown girl I ever read about.
✿ Loved all the animals. Wanted to help them.
✿ Should probably try to save the world, too, while at it.
✿ Also totally in love with a white boy named Jake.
✿ But trying to play it cool. Duh.
✿ Definitely the voice of reason and morality.
✿ I mean, not that anyone listens to her …
✿ Overalls were totally cool once, OKAY?! Sheesh.

“We live in paradise, Rachel, and we don’t even know it. And we don’t know when it might end. We’d have to be fools not to enjoy it while we can.”

✦ Mort from Mort ✦

✿ I, too, would like to apprentice for Death.
✿ Also probably the only job I’d be qualified for.
✿ Maybe just a teensy bit awkward.
✿ You know, at everything.
✿ Totally didn’t mean to unravel time and space, but, you know …
✿ Oops, my bad?
✿ Was just trying to help.

In short, Mort was one of those people who are more dangerous than a bag full of rattlesnakes. He was determined to discover the underlying logic behind the universe.
Which was going to be hard, because there wasn’t one. The Creator had a lot of remarkably good ideas when he put the world together, but making it understandable hadn’t been one of them.

✦ Dante from
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe ✦

✿ Fell in love with a guy who clearly has issues.
✿ But still keep him around, for some strange reason?
✿ Eh, obviously logic center is broken.
✿ Look at the world in strange, poetic ways.
✿ Also talk waaaay too much.
✿ Sometimes about inappropriate things, because what are boundaries?!

Finally I just asked a stupid question, “Why do birds exist, anyway?”
He looked at me. “You don’t know?”
“I guess I don’t.”
“Birds exist to teach us things about the sky.”

✦ Marvin from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy ✦

✿ Horribly pessimistic, to the detriment of everyone around
✿ Has the unique ability to see the worst possible outcome in everything
✿ Including people
✿ Is usually right, but for some reason, no one ever listens?!
✿ Is an equal opportunity person-hater.
✿ Incredibly bad at writing poetry. Probably shouldn’t even try.

“You think you’ve got problems? What are you supposed to do if you are a manically depressed robot? No, don’t try to answer that. I’m fifty thousand times more intelligent than you and even I don’t know the answer. It gives me a headache just trying to think down to your level.”

✦ Enzo from The Art of Racing in the Rain ✦

✿ Dogs are people, too.
✿ Does his best to support the humans around him.
✿ Sometimes gets ignored/forgotten anyway.
✿ But still loves them, because they’re his humans, dang it.
✿ Just wants the people around him to be happy.
✿ And also, some head pats would be nice.
✿ And bacon.
✿ 10/10 is good pupper and deserves all the treats.

“People speak of a will to live. They rarely speak of a will to die. Because people are afraid of death. Death is dark and unknown and frightening. But not for me. It is not the end.”

✦ Nightblood from Warbreaker ✦

✿ Very nobly trying to rid the world of evil.
✿ Now, if only it knew exactly what counted as evil …
✿ Stabbing things is jolly fun.
✿ Low key constantly trying to convince people to do their bidding.
✿ But for some reason, it never works?

Hello, a cheerful voice said in his mind. Would you like to destroy some evil today?

✦ Victor from Vicious ✦

✿ I WAS RIGHT, SO THERE.
✿ Oh, shoot, I was right …
✿ Hm. Gosh. I should probably, like, fix this mess now.
✿ And save the world. You know, by killing people.
✿ Does that make me evil?
✿ Well, sometimes heroes have to be villains.
✿ Best friend is also nemesis, because who else would be?
✿ Sometimes the chase is half the fun.

Someone could call themselves a hero and still walk around killing dozens. Someone else could be labeled a villain for trying to stop them. Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human.

✦ Ove from A Man Called Ove ✦

✿ People are super annoying and inconvenient.
✿ Also, extremely incapable of performing even little tasks.
✿ In fact, how has humanity survived this long?!
✿ Just wants to be left alone.
✿ But for some reason, people keep coming around?
✿ No matter how loudly they’re told to just go away.
✿ Has a love/hate relationship with cats.
✿ Refers to people by characteristics, because remembering names is pointless.

“It’s probably full of disgusting diseases and rabies and all sorts of things!”
Ove looks at the cat. Looks at the Weed. Nods. “And so are you, most likely. But we don’t throw stones at you because of it.”

✦ Lundy from In An Absent Dream✦

✿ Disillusioned with the real world, despite being a child.
✿ Books > people
✿ Really, people can be so inconvenient.
✿ Likes following the rules.
✿ But also likes finding loopholes.
✿ Family is fine, but found family is even better.
✿ Hard work is very rewarding.
✿ Feathers are fun.

She was ordinary. She was remarkable. Of such commonplace contradictions are weapons made.


Chat With Me

What are some characters that you see yourself in?

43 responses to “Characters That Are My Book Doppelgangers (Ft. Explosions and Mishaps)”

    • Sammie

      He’s still definitely one of my all-time favorite characters! And the fact that Alan Rickman voiced him in the movie was really only gravy on top.

      Reply
  2. Louise

    I love the way you’ve laid this post out! And I love that you picked Mort! He’s not one I’d ever have thought of but I could totally see him as a good choice for me too now. 😊
    My TTT.

    Reply
    • Sammie

      I feel like poor Mort is so easily overlooked. Which was how his character went in the book, too, so that’s pretty fair. I feel like I would’ve made the same mistakes he did, too. It was well intentioned, if nothing else. xD

      Reply
  3. Carrie

    I see I have some books to catch up on 😀 Love how you constructed this post with the bullet points, etc. Very nice!

    Reply
  4. anovelglimpse

    Victor from Vicious? I have to admit, that scares me again. He’s not a very good dude…but as long as you’re saving the world when you kill people. Then it’s all good. 😉

    Reply
    • Sammie

      I mean, to be fair, every hero has more than a little villain in them, right? It’s sort of necessary in order to prioritize the many over the few. 😉 Besides, I love the moral dilemma Victor faces. He’s an unwilling anti-hero, but there’s no doubt he does help some people. But does it still count if he does good things for the wrong reasons? It’s the sort of stuff I love thinking about!

      Reply
      • ich lese

        I find Jack intriguing! I just didn’t like the world building in the second book as much as I had hoped. I was looking for more novelty!

        Reply
        • Sammie

          I’d agree to that! I loved the Goblin Market and felt like that world was so much better described and built than in the second book. I just enjoyed the characters of the second book more. I want to see Chris’s world, though, if I’m honest. Mariposa sounds the most appealing to me.

          Reply
  7. Leah

    Oh my god, fellow Animorphs reader! Marco was my favorite–most likely because he was so funny even with his tragic past, or maybe because of it.

    Reply
    • Sammie

      I loved Marco so much, for the same reason! But I couldn’t really relate to him. He was definitely one of my favorite characters, though Ax was my absolute favorite. I mean, he tried so hard, the poor dear, but humans are confusing. Can’t really blame him for not fitting in. xD

      Reply
      • Leah

        Oh, Ax! I loved him, too. Although now that I’m remembering it, I had a soft spot in my heart for Tobias, too. I just wanted to give both him and Marco hugs.

        Reply
        • Sammie

          Ugh, Tobias’ story was just so dang tragic. I felt so bad for him and wanted to give him all the hugs, too. He really got a crap hand dealt to him in life, just all around.

          Reply
  8. Guinevere

    I had forgotten the existence of the Animorphs books until now!
    Dante is one of the sweetest male characters I’ve seen in YA literature. I related to him more than Aristotle too

    Reply
    • Sammie

      I’ve been wanting to reread them, but I’m a little hesitant, because what if I hate them now? xD It’s been so long.

      I read another book by Saenz and didn’t really like it, but I was so glad I gave Aristotle and Dante a chance, because I loved it! It’s not often you get to read male characters that are sensitive and willing to show their emotions, and I loved how unashamed Dante was to just be himself.

      Reply
    • Sammie

      I really enjoyed the movie, too, but I felt like it lost a lot of context compared to the book, because you didn’t really get to hear so much of Ove’s inner monologue, which I thought was a large part of his charm.

      Reply
        • Sammie

          I think if it were remade in Hollywood, it would honestly just lose it. It did have a certain charm, and honestly, a book like A Man Called Ove is just really difficult to capture on film, in my opinion. Something is necessarily going to be lost. I still thought they did a pretty dang good job, though.

          Reply
  12. Brooke Lorren

    Hahaha! I don’t relate to these particular characters, but I love how you wrote about your similarities! And now for the obligatory comment about how I need to read at least one of VE Schwab’s books (I’m pretty sure I say it every week). But I did finally read a Jennifer L. Armentrout book so at least I’m getting some of those new-to-me authors read!

    Reply
    • Sammie

      I feel you. I’m pretty sure I say that almost every week about Maggie Stiefvater (and my hold on the first book of the Raven Cycle just came through).

      Reply
  13. dinipandareads

    Wow, such awesome characters! I really love Dante, he’s so sweet and I love the way he sees the world. I’m still finishing up the book but really enjoying him (and even Ari) 😊 Also, the Animorphs mention is a helluva throwback to my middle/high school days! Must google books now… lol

    Reply
    • Sammie

      Oooh, then I won’t say too much about them. I hope you enjoy the book, though! The ending was really beautiful. 😀

      Ahhh, right?! Gosh. I’m so torn between wanting to take, like, a month and just breeze through the whole series, but also being afraid that I’ll suddenly hate it now because old me is not at all like elementary/junior high me lol.

      Reply
    • Sammie

      Highly recommend the whole series! They’re a little short (which sometimes feels like they’re rushed and like things are left out), but the whole series is just so creative and lovely and interesting. :3

      Reply
    • Sammie

      I’m actually sort of surprised by how many people relate to Ove! So glad that I’m not the only cranky curmudgeon around this place. xD

      Reply

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