Everyone knows that characters are one of the most fundamental elements of any story.
Dragons are a close second, though.
For me, a great character can lift a lousy plot, or a lousy character can drag down a great plot. I want characters I can fall in love with, daydream about, idolize, and sometimes maybe fear … just a little.
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday is character traits I love.
Sometimes it’s the novelty of the character I fall in love with, but most times, it’s one of these things. Because I’m a very predictable bookdragon who knows what she likes, okay? Even if what I like shows questionable morals and/or judgment.
Born to be Sarcastic
Gideon Nav || Teagan Frost || Lee Yeon-Ji
✿ Maybe not a great person, but sure makes me laugh.
✿ Sarcasm is my life blood.
✿ It’s not their fault most people they interact with are stupid/frustrating.
✿ Sarcasm is good for the soul.
✿ Easy to dislike. But also, have no effs left to give about whether they’re liked.
✿ Is it really mocking if it’s the truth?
To Villain or Not to Villain
Victor Vale || Lightsong the Bold || Rowan Damisch
✿ Could be the good guy, but … probably not.
✿ Facebook status: it’s complicated.
✿ Sometimes, good people do bad things. And vice versa.
✿ Being a hero is overrated.
✿ Sometimes you have to break laws to save the world.
Reluctant Heroes
Bilbo Baggins || Nobody Owens || Madeline Maxwell
✿ Saving the world is hard. Can’t we just stay home?
✿ Who actually wants to be a hero?
✿ Wait, I’m sorry, I have to do what?!
✿ 95% probability of either dying or things going horribly wrong.
✿ Totally unequipped for the task. Is assigned the task anyway.
Kicking Butt and Taking … No, I Actually Don’t Care About Your Name, Thanks
Ead Duryan || Mia Corvere || Eliana Ferracora
✿ Have a penchant for naming their weapons. After all, knives are people, too.
✿ Murder is necessary. Maybe even fun.
✿ Super adept at fighting and unapologetically kicks some butt.
✿ Stabiness can be sexy.
✿ Who said women are weak?!
✿ No, really. *spins knife* Who said that?
I’ve Got The Power
Morrigan Crow || Warlock Holmes || Mortimer
✿ Super powerful for no obvious reason.
✿ Can be used for good or evil or … menial tasks?
✿ Stares into the power. The power stares back.
✿ Sometimes saves the day. Sometimes makes random things explode. Sometimes dooms the planet.
✿ ♪ You remind me of the babe. ♫
Not a Puny Human
✿ Now with fewer inhibitions and pesky human emotions!
✿ Trying desperately to understand the mortals. Failing miserably.
✿ Always believe they’re superior to humans. Sometimes, they’re correct.
✿ Humans are so last millennia.
✿ Come with their own awesome powers … like magic or … logic?
✿ Could probably save humanity, buuuut … why bother?
Overcoming Great Odds
Isaac Sullivan || Dresden || Eelyn
✿ When life gives you lemons … squirt them in your enemies’ eyes!
✿ When you get knocked down … kick the other guy’s legs out from under him and sucker punch him.
✿ Learned everything they know from the School of Hard Knocks™.
✿ Refuse to let life get them down.
✿ Could be depressed. Could also punch someone in the face. Options!
Loves Their Sibling
Beck Keverich || Joe Edwards || Jacqueline Wolcott
✿ All the warm feels of family, now with fewer fights!
✿ Sibling rivalry is overrated.
✿ “Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind. Or forgotten.”
✿ Sure, siblings are annoying, but you’ve got to love them. And occasionally bring them back to life.
Loyal to a Fault
Okame || Jin Al’Oman Bin Izman || Vikram
✿ Should probably just save their own hide. But won’t.
✿ Try to talk sense into everyone. Fail. Go along to inevitably save their stupid selves anyway.
✿ Not necessarily a leader, but really good at following.
✿ This plan is stupid and likely to get us killed. Okay, I’m in.
Fluffy Marshmallow Who Needs Protection
Mateo Torrez || Charley Sutherland || Aziraphale
✿ Obviously too good for their fictional worlds.
✿ Naive and easily taken advantage of.
✿ But pure of heart and clearly worthy of all the love and protection.
✿ Could probably handle themselves, but shhhh, we’ll deal with that mean person for you.
✿ Super loyal. Attracts all the most loyal people in return.
✿ Always good friends with that one person who gets them in and out of trouble.
FLUFFY MARSHMALLOWS YAAAAS! I had cinnamon rolls on my list and immediately thought of Tanner from Autoboyography first but then of course MATEO because he’s the purest fluff 😍Love all of these traits you’ve listed and really like that you’ve mentioned the characters too. Awesome TTT, Sammie!
My TTT post
Mateo really is the best whatever sweet dessert you want to call it. 😉
Ha! I love your list. There is definitely something to be said for characters who sometimes have questionable morals in general. They’re just so interesting to read about.
My TTT.
That’s very true! I always love the unpredictability of it.
I love your take on the topic! And that you’ve included such on the nose examples. 🙂
Thanks! I had a lot of fun revisiting characters I love. :3
Fluffy marshmallow, LOL! Love it. Sarcastic reluctant heroes are honestly just the best, though. 🙂
(Dragons are 100% a close second.)
Yes for sarcastic reluctant heroes! Someone should write a sarcastic reluctant dragon. I’d totally buy that.
Oooh, that would be awesome.
When I read “Dragons are second close…” I was like, oh no, the book I’m writing has no dragons. lol. Anyway, I love the phrases you come up with to name the traits and the descriptions. Enjoyed reading your post a lot. 🙂 🙂
I mean, to be fair, as much as I love dragons … only one of my books has dragons in it? So … I’m totally a hypocrite haha. Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Lol 😀 😀 There’s this trilogy I set aside to write when I started the novel I’m currently writing and I think I can squeeze some dragons in its plot. I’m not done with its World and magic system yet so I can still make some changes. Maybe I’ll put dragons in the plot. haha.
You totally shoooould.
Marshmallows (and cinnamon rolls) are the best. I love me some sarcastic and loyal siblings are much love to.
I think a lot of people seem to enjoy sarcastic characters! Can’t imagine why. 😉
I love cinnamon roll and marshmallow characters. Give me all the cinnamon rolls! And yes, my heart also belongs to sarcastic characters, villains, and Loki!
Loki should just be his category all on his own. xD
I always like a good sibling bond between characters. Alas, I don’t feel like I meet good siblings in fiction all that often. Here’s hoping we see more of this character trait in the future! 🙂
It definitely is hard to find a book that really focuses on the sibling thing! A Thousand Perfect Notes was a great example in the YA genre, or for adults, I really enjoyed The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep, which was really focused on brothers learning to be brothers.
[…] And Worst Questions I’ve Had As A Librarian ✦ Books By The Number || Titles From 1 to 10 ✦ Qualities I Love In Characters || Ft. Questionable Morals ✦ Extraordinary Titles That Demand Some Attention ✦ Titles That Tell You Nothing About The Book […]