review: FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK, or why I won't read Melina Marchetta anymore

Finnikin of the Rock (Lumatere #1) - Melina Marchetta

Publisher: Candlewick

hardback

Recommended for: Adults Only (in what I can only describe as a complete travesty, this book is marketed to Young Adults. I severely object to this book - and its sequel - being labeled 'YA' anywhere or by anyone)

 

At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom. He stands on the rock of the three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to safeguard Lumatere.


But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace. An impostor seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.


Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock—to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive. This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the prince. Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home. Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united? Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.

--

I originally wasn't going to put this review here, because it is less of a 'review' and more of a rant. But I'm trying to move all my reviews from Goodreads over to my blog, so here it goes.

Even though she wrote one of my favorite novels, Jellicoe Road, I really don't care for Melina Marchetta. And it's because of this series, the Lumatere Chronicles, the foray of a mostly contemporary Australian author into epic fantasy. Readers, if this is what constitutes a modern fantasy, then I really need a time machine so I can go back to the '50s and hang out with men who really know how to write fantasies: Tolkien, Alexander, and Lewis. Even Philip Pullman (whose His Dark Materials are not exactly 'fantasies') seems decent compared to this.
And once again, it's frustrating because I'm definitely in the minority on this one. If you know me, you can probably guess why I didn't like this book. I'll be brief and just sum it up in one word: protagonist. Yes, the main character, Finnikin, that everybody loves to drool over, was the worst part of the book for me. I mean, he was just a disgusting character. I really would like to know how readers (especially girls) can get through this book and rate it 5 stars. It completely escapes me. I guess I like my heroes to respect women. And when I say 'respect women,' I mean not seeing them as objects of gratification. Without dropping a spoiler, and without wanting to get into it, because it's just downright disgusting, I will say that what Finnikin does in this novel is something you would never EVER see a character in Tolkien's universe commit. And frankly, I don't think young readers ought to be subjected to such behavior on part of the hero. I think it might confuse them or give off the message (as Marchetta no doubt gave off to me, a grown woman) that the behavior in question is no big deal and something that ought not warrant any thought. But hey, as long as girls are okay with it, and continue to excuse it, I guess it's not really a big deal, right?
 

And reading an advance copy of Froi of the Exiles has made me realize...it's not just Finnikin. I didn't like anybody in this novel, except for Evanjalin, and even she annoyed me at times. Girls in fantasies fall into usual tropes: either they're damsels in distress, old crones, or scheming, conniving shrews (Evanjalin!) I hate to say it, but I'm noticing a pattern with Marchetta's books: broken characters can always be redeemed, so she seems to say. And call me what you will (view spoiler), but I don't agree with that philosophy - at least, not in books. To me, there is such a thing as making characters too 'screwed up' to the point of being past redemption. Finnikin and Froi were too 'icky' for my taste.
And yes, having a character (the illustrious and heroic 'Froi') attempt to rape a character in one novel, only to wind up as the misunderstood but no less heroic protagonist in the sequel, is what I would call 'icky.' It's the kind of characterization I expect to see in a George R.R. Martin novel; Martin can get away with it, though, because he's not shoving his work at kids.
So...how can I say that Jellicoe Road is the closest thing I have to a favorite novel, when I'm not even sure that I like Melina Marchetta? Don't get me wrong, she's a fabulous writer with an incredible and thoughtful eye for detail, but as far as a storyteller, I'm finding that the more of her novels I read, the more dissatisfied I become. Why does everything have to be so complex? Why do all her characters have to be so depressingly broken?
I've already severed all reading ties with Cinda Williams Chima, and I might have to do the same with Melina Marchetta...

Mostly, I just don't think modern authors know how to write good fantasies. The two most popular YA fantasies - at least on Goodreads - seems to be this book and Graceling, both of which are products of modern authors with highly worldly and progressive messages set in completely nihilistic universes with characters that Nietzsche himself might like. 

In the fantasy genre, there is something to be said for traditional-style storytelling. Look at C.S. Lewis, Lloyd Alexander, and J.R.R. Tolkien. All of their fantasy novels featured characters with integrity and a moral code. It's disillusioning to me that integrity is no longer required in a fantasy hero or heroine...

This is one such book that I recommend to no one, but I think that some adults might be impressed with Marchetta's fantasy universe, doom-and-gloom as it is.

Review - THIS DARK ENDEAVOR

This Dark Endeavor - Kenneth Oppel

Genre: YA Historical Fiction/Gothic Horror

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

# of pages: 298 (hb)

Recommended for: High School & Beyond  

In this prequel to Mary Shelley's gothic classic, Frankenstein, sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein begins a dark journey that will change his life forever. Victor's twin, Konrad, has fallen ill, and no doctor can cure him. Unwilling to give up on his brother, Victor enlists his beautiful cousin Elizabeth and his best friend, Henry, on a treacherous search for the ingredients to create the forbidden Elixir of Life. Impossible odds, dangerous alchemy, and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn.Victor knows he must not fail. But his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science, and love ? and how much he is willing to sacrifice?

This Dark Endeavor is an incredible book! I don't know where Kenneth Oppel got the idea to write a prequel to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein starring a teenage version of the eponymous character, but what an ingenious idea!

Truth be told, I never had read Frankenstein in school. My class was on a different track and I had a teacher who made the famous declaration to our class that he'd rather teach 'that Dumas man' than teach Frankenstein. Basically, my knowledge of the source material has come from Kenneth Branagh's film version, and Mel Brooks.

Still, even I could recognize the level of detail, skill and panache that Kenneth Oppel put into this fascinating novel. And for those of you who did read Frankenstein, have you ever wondered what might have happened to make Victor Frankenstein the man who actually dared to create life? Here, it's simple: Victor has a brilliant, charismatic and practically perfect twin brother, Konrad. Light to his shadow, and all that. I think this may be the only major divergence between the real Frankenstein and this adaptation - I don't recall a twin character in the original novel, but then again, I never read the original. When Konrad falls ill with a rare condition, Victor takes it upon himself to find a cure, believing that practical science has failed. His course of study is the dark arts of alchemy - the first of many such introductions into dark and creepy arts. Joining him in his "studies" are his cousin, Elizabeth Lavenza (yes, *the* Elizabeth Lavenza and best friend Henry Clerval (and don't we know what fate eventually has in store for them!)
I loved the way Oppel chose to portray Victor. It must have been hard to try and make one of literature's most megalomaniac characters into a sympathetic boy, eager-to-please and desperate for attention. I actually liked the guy! It was easy to root for him in his endeavors (dark and twisty as they were) and I found myself even making excuses for him on several occasions. Even though you know, ultimately, that Victor Frankenstein is a completely doomed character, I still wanted him to succeed. Let me clarify that at this point in Victor's life, he's only interested in successfully making an Elixir of Life for his sick brother - not creating the Boris Karloff creature...
Hats off to Kenneth Oppel for making me care about a character I never thought I could admire. And I loved seeing Victor gradually become more and more twisted, more aggressive, more desperate, and *still* remain sympathetic. I guess I'm drawn to characters with delusions of grandeur who want to prove their worth. Those must be the characters that leave an impression on me. :)

This Dark Endeavor was simply unputdownable, and I rarely say that. My little ADD-self can put down the most thoroughly interesting of books, too, so that should say something to this novel's overwhelming power of intrigue. If you haven't yet, I highly recommend picking up this novel. It clocks in at slightly under 300 pages, so it would be a quick read. And like I said, it's practically unputdownable!

 

an update

Greetings, fellow padawans! 

(okay, okay, so that is totally geeky, but I couldn't resist)

So...the job is going really well and so far I've been able to keep up with my reading.

This is a cute random bookish picture

I haven't posted any of my reviews on here because the majority of books I've read recently have been ARCs, and I'm not sure if there would be any interest in reading my ARC reviews before the books are actually out. I've read Enchanted (Kontis), Shadow and Bone (Bardugo), Masque of the Red Death (Griffin), When the Sea is Rising Red (Hellison - but I skimmed through this one) and This Dark Endeavor (Oppel). Unfortunately, with the exception of This Dark Endeavor (which I absolutely loved), I disliked all the others and when I finally do get around to posting the reviews, they won't be all that praise-worthy. Wanted to just get that confession out of the way. 

Due to these less-than-stellar experiences, I've dubbed 2012 the Year of the Re-Reads. I'm going through some of my favorite books, as well as books I haven't read for years, and reading them again. I'm giving myself all year to get through Lord of the Rings, and I've already finished reading through the five books of the Chronicles of Prydain series. 

What's next? Probably re-read the Harry Potter series at some point (it's been since 2009 since I've read those) and...I want to re-read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Have any of you all read that? 

It was part of our required reading in middle school, and at the time I thought it was 'okay.' But now that a movie version is in production, I'd like to read through it again and figure out who's who. All I remember is that Peter is a sick SOB and Mazer is cool. And something about xenocide. Anyhoo.

In other news, I've decided that I'm interested in sci-fi. I'm about to start Across the Universe and A Million Suns by Beth Revis, whom I hear is the newest popular YA sci-fi author. 

And by the way...has anybody seen Martin Scorsese's Hugo, adapted from The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick? I don't even remember this movie being marketed back in the fall (unlike the frickin headache that is The Hunger Games - I see that stupid preview multiple times a day!). 

But when I watched the Academy Awards a few weeks ago, they said that this was the most nominated film of the year. Naturally, a Martin Scorsese movie that does not contain the 'F' word piqued my curiosity. And let me tell you, this is now my #1 favorite movie ever, tied with the Lord of the Rings films. IT IS THAT GOOD! The only thing I would've liked is for them to keep the whole title - calling it "Hugo" made me think it was a biopic for Victor Hugo or something. LOL - would've still seen that movie, too!

I gotta tell you, set aside whatever book you're reading right now and watch this movie! It is AH-MAZING!

Peace out padawans,

Review - BRUISER

Bruiser - Neal Shusterman

Genre: YA Contemporary plus Paranormal

# of pages:

Publisher:

Recommended for: Everyone

 Bruiser @ Parental Book Reviews

"There’s a reason why Brewster can’t have friends – why he can’t care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can’t be explained. I know, because they're happening to me."

When Brontë starts dating Brewster “Bruiser” Rawlins – the guy voted “Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty” her twin brother, Tennyson, isn’t surprised. But then strange things begin to occur. Tennyson and Brontë’s scrapes heal unnaturally fast, and cuts disappear before their eyes. What at first seems like their good fortune turns out to be more than they bargained for…much more.

--

 

 Bruiser is the second Neal Shusterman book I've read, and I enjoyed it just as much as when I read Unwind this past summer. I think the main thing about Neal Shusterman that I like is his writing style. He has a way of saying everything that needs to be said in a quick, simple and efficient way. I always knew just enough about the characters' thoughts and motives to get me through what was happening, but he didn't let me in on everything, if that makes sense. Just like with real people, you can't always know what they're thinking or what makes them tick. Shusterman gives just enough to help readers navigate the story, but there's always an enigmatic quality that I think is special.

And while Unwind was a solid dystopian, I don't really know that Bruiser fits into an easily-defined category. I guess magical realism wouldn't be a completely accurate label, but the whole premise revolves around something definitely supernatural and wholly thought-provoking: a boy who literally takes on the pains of people close to him. And so the story is told from the points-of-view of multiple characters, including Brewster - called "Bruiser," and the siblings Tennyson and Bronte, who literally invite themselves into Brewster's powerful but complicated world. As an aside, I'm normally very distracted by weird names, but in this book they seemed to have a real purpose. I have to say that Shusterman has a gift for creating lovable but complex characters who reveal themselves to be more than what they seem. However, I didn't always like Bronte, Brewster's girlfriend. She's the kind of character who's outwardly perfect and upright but who harbors the ability to be extremely egotistical. As the novel grew more complex, I found myself very put-off by some of her actions. I was appalled, but I also figured that Shusterman was angling for that reaction. And to be honest, I kind of liked that part of the story. I liked how easy it was to place one person's happiness above the welfare of another. I liked seeing that kind of tension and I liked seeing the characters realize the magnitude of what they'd done. Now THAT is how to create tension in a novel! My favorite character, though, would have to be Tennyson. In my opinion, he seemed to be the most misunderstood character and underwent the greatest character evolution.

I could go on an on about the brilliant qualities of this book. Not a single sentence was out of place (though I still don't like the present-tense writing style or the multiple shifts in narration) and every scene built up to an explosive finale. And the ending was satisfying but also open-ended.

I'm definitely proud of our Texas librarians who picked Bruiser to be a Lone Star book for this year. It's the perfect book I'd recommend to teen readers because it has all the elements needed in a true winner: there's action, there's suspense and sometimes even extreme tension, there's a sweet, simple romance, there's manipulation, there's heartache, and there's just a little bit of the unexplainable. Ahh, Bruiser is without a doubt one of the most memorable novels I've ever read.

 

My mailbox this week!

This was a busy, busy week for my mailbox and me!

 

I received a big box of books from Hachette (Little Brown) from a request I made at ALA. 

I was absolutely ecstatic when it showed up this past week, because I've never gotten a box of books from a publisher and it was a really special feeling!

 

FOR REVIEW

Revived - Cat Patrick

Purity - Jackson Pearce

Ghost Knight - Cornelia Funke

The Last Princess - Galaxy Craze

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict - Trenton Lee Stewart

 

TRADE

Girl in the Clockwork Collar (Steampunk Chronicles #2) - Kady Cross

Across the Universe - Beth Revis

Cybele's Secret (Wildwood #2) - Juliet Marillier

Between Shades of Gray - Ruta Sepetys

Steampunk Poe

 

 

 Also, I found out of a bit of exciting news on Friday - there was a job I'd been offered that I really wanted, and I got it! I'm so excited to start this professional chapter of my life, but I may not be able to update as often as I have been. Please hang in there with me and keep me on your blog roll. I'm not entirely gone, and I'll be posting when I can!

 

 

YA Paranormal Activity Hop!

Welcome to my stop on the YA Paranormal Activity Giveaway Hop!

This hop is hosted by Kathy at I Am a Reader, Not a Writer

Up for grabs is an ARC copy of Incarnate by Jodi Meadows. If I hit 100 entries, I will double the prize and throw in a copy of Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes as well! So that's two possible books that you can win!

To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter. 

(also, if you choose to do the extra entry and 'follow' this blog, please be sure to click on the GFC button on the right-hand side!)

9 of my favorite literary characters (so far)

I've been thinking a lot lately about how I define a 'good character.' I think about several of my favorite characters from years of reading and I wondered if they had anything in common - any physical traits or behaviors or backgrounds. Looking at this list I've created, I'd say that they most, if not all, exemplify bravery in some way, and are loyal to friends and/or a cause. They've got spark, heavy personalities, and are never, ever boring!

So out of my long list of favorite and highly memorable characters, I wanted to take the time to write about 10.

These are not ranked in any order.

Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings trilogy
+ honorable mention to Ian McKellen's portrayal in Peter Jackson's film series
(J.R.R. Tolkien, 1954-1956)
Quick character info:
Why he makes the list: Gandalf is the quintessential 'wise old sage' character type. He predates Albus Dumbledore by nearly forty years (and I'm absolutely convinced that Gandalf is at least part of the inspiration for Dumbledore) and did you know that Gandalf is an Istari, a being most similar to our concept of an angel? And he battled a balrog - and won. And he battled Saruman - and won. And, in the movies, he whacked crazy old Denethor upside the head with his staff. And he talks to eagles! 
Yes, how could Gandalf not be part of this list?!
Also, I definitely agree with author Mary Hoffman, who said that Gandalf is "the best white wizard in fiction."

Standout quote: [Frodo has said, "I wish it need not have happened in my time."]
"So do I," said Gandalf. "And so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide.All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

Fflewddur Fflam from the Chronicles of Prydain series
(Lloyd Alexander, 1964-1968)
Quick character info: Fflewddur Fflam is a fun but hapless bard who joins the protagonist on many adventures throughout the series. His most prized possession, an enchanted harp, breaks its strings every time he lies...er, colors the truth.

Why he makes the list: Fflewddur has such a fun personality: he's witty and incredibly eccentric, but he also has moments of great depth and insight. You can always count on good ol' Fflewddur to lighten a somber mood or provide non-preachy words of encouragement.

Standout quote: "By all means," cried the bard, "A Fflam to the rescue! Storm the castle! Carry it by assault! Batter down the gates!"
"There's not much left of it to storm," said Eilonwy.
"Oh?" said Fflewddur, with disappointment. "Very well, we shall do the best we can."

Reepicheep from the Chronicles of Narnia series
(C.S. Lewis, 1950-1956)
Quick character info: Reepicheep, who first appears in the fourth (by chronological) book, Prince Caspian, is a talking mouse, one of the descendants of the mice who chewed the ropes off Aslan's body in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He provides counsel to Caspian, and makes further appearances in Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Last Battle.
Why he makes the list: Reepicheep is feisty, fierce, and, let's face it, has a wicked awesome name: REEP.Ih.CHEEP. Know what else? He's a freaking warrior. With a sword. And he wears a red plume. Legit. I'm also willing to bet that Reep played a role in inspiring Brian Jacques' Redwall series, which is populated with all sorts of battle-savvy mammals. Plus, I like that Reep is descended from noble mice who served Aslan (gives some color to his lineage). But what I like best about Reepicheep is that he is loyal and always attempts to stand for what he believes to be right.

And - personal opinion here - there is something dadgum awesome about a talking mouse. Seriously.

 

Standout quote: "My friendship you shall have," piped Reepicheep. "And any Dwarf - or Giant - in the army who does not give you good language shall have my sword to reckon with." (Prince Caspian)
and
"Stop it," sputtered Eustace, "go away. Put that thing away. It's not safe. Stop it, I say. I'll tell Caspain. I'll have you muzzled and tied up."
"Why do you not draw your own sword, poltroon!" cheeped the Mouse. "Draw and fight or I'll beat you black and blue with the flat."
"I haven't got one," said Eustace. "I'm a pacifist. I don't believe in fighting."
"Do I understand," said Reepicheep, withdrawing his sword for a moment and speaking very sternly, "that you do not intend to give me satisfaction?" (Voyage of the Dawn Treader)

 

Percy Jackson from the Percy Jackson series (& Heroes of Olympus spinoff)

(Rick Riordan, 2005-2009; 2010-ongoing)
Quick character info: Percy Jackson begins the series as a troubled 12-year-old boy (and ends the first series as a 16-year-old), dyslexic and with ADHD. At a mysterious summer camp, he learns that all the gods, heroes, and monsters from Greek 'mythology' are real, and that he is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea. Powers are recognized, quests are undertaken, friendships are forged, chaos ensues, and hilarity is ever present as Percy narrates his adventures over five books.
Why he makes the list: In all my years of reading, Percy's character stands out to me for a number of reasons. What gives him an edge over all the other good, noble, and virtuous characters I've read is his voice. It's snarky, sardonic, incredibly witty (sometimes bitingly so) and refreshingly youthful. And yet, rarely ever is he flippant or careless. There's an underlying sensitivity to him that I think is an excellent quality in a boy. If Percy's commentary could make college professor snort, that's proof enough that this is way more than just a 'children's series.'

Standout quote: There are so many hilarious Percy quips, but for this post, I'll pick his commentary on the appearance of one of the series' antagonists: He'd changed since the last summer. Instead of Bermuda shorts and a T-shirt, he wore a button-down shirt, khaki pants, and leather loafers. His sandy hair, which used to be so unruly, was now clipped short. He looked like an evil male model, showing off what the fashionable college-age villain was wearing to Harvard this year.

Todd Hewitt from the Chaos Walking trilogy
(Patrick Ness, 2008-2010)

Quick character info: Todd Hewitt is the youngest boy in a remote village of a newly colonized world. The Knife of Never Letting Go, the first book in the trilogy, focuses mainly on Todd on the run from the men of his town, who desire to add him to their 'perfect' army. The later books of the series revolve around Todd's physical and mental growth as he tries to resist the power and corruption around him, against the backdrop of war.
Why he makes the list: Todd makes the list of best characters largely because of his powerful narrative voice. The first thing you notice when you read the Chaos Walking trilogy is that Todd's narrative is written in the vernacular. Though hard to understand at first, it also adds a strong element of reality to Todd's character. But more than Todd's narrative, I loved his inner goodness and humanity, even when faced with some outright brutal situations. In fact, Todd Hewitt is everything that Ender Wiggins from Ender's Game should have been, but wasn't (and that might only make sense for those who have read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card). And the way Todd interacts with the other major character, Viola, is just about as heartfelt and genuine as can be expressed in literature. Their relationship progression was like seeing the steps to a perfectly solved equation (if that makes any sense). I could go on for hours about all the inherently good qualities that make up Todd Hewitt...but I won't.

Standout quote: "Here's what I think," I say, and my voice is stronger and thoughts are coming, thoughts that trickle into my noise like whispers of truth. "I think maybe everyone falls," I say. "I think maybe we all do. And I don't think that's the asking." I pull on her arms gently to make sure she's listening. "I think the asking is whether we get back up again."

Samwise Gamgee from the Lord of the Rings series

+ honorable mention to Sean Astin's portrayal in Peter Jackson's film series

(J.R.R. Tolkien, 1954-1956)
Quick character info: Samwise Gamgee is the hobbit gardner of Frodo Baggins and accompanies him from the Shire all the way to Mordor and back again. After the One Ring is destroyed and the Shire is restored to order, Sam marries and becomes Mayor of the Shire. Eventually, as the last of the Ring-Bearers, Sam leaves Middle-Earth to join Frodo and Bilbo in the Undying Lands.

Why he makes the list: If ever there was a character who epitomized the concept of "loyalty," Samwise Gamgee would be it. Sam is definitely my favorite character in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy (brilliantly acted by Sean Astin), and now that I'm re-reading the Lord of the Rings series, I'm experiencing Sam from the books, and he's just as loyal and servant-hearted as on the big screen. His bravery and unfailing loyalty to his friend, Frodo, and to his cause, makes him the most moving and inspiring character I have ever, ever encountered in a fictional work.

Standout quote: "Come Mr. Frodo!" he cried. "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you and it as well. So up you get! Come on, Mr. Frodo. Sam will give you a ride. Just tell him where to go, and he'll go."

Eugenides from the Queen's Thief series

(Megan Whalen Turner, 1996-ongoing)

Quick character info: Eugenides is the eponymous thief of the series. As an extended member of the royal family of Eddis (a fictional realm similar to a Greek city-state), though, he functions more as a spy than a common street thief. He usually finds himself firmly placed in the midst of political intrigue and upheaval, and as a result, reading about his adventures is usually entertaining.
Why he makes the list: As I'm finding out, I appreciate characters with a good sense of humor but also a little bit of snark. Not too much snark, and I usually don't like snark in girl characters, but more to the point, Eugenides almost always knows exactly what to say to make his point and get what he wants. And the few times when his circumstances render him speechless, those scenes are probably even more dynamic. Plus, there's the whole name thing going on. Eugenides. EU-GEN-ih-DEEZ. Now that is a wicked awesome name.

Standout quote: "This is the stupidest plan I have ever in my career participated in," Xenophon said.
"I love stupid plans," said Eugenides.

Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series

(J.K. Rowling, 2003-2007)
Quick character info: Luna Lovegood first appears in the fifth book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. She is known as "Loony Luna" and has a reputation for being, to say the very least, socially awkward. Despite her seriously unconventional nature, Luna forms a strong friendship with Harry Potter and is one of the only people to believe his claim that the Dark Lord Voldemort has returned. She rises to prominence (and social acceptance) in the series as she joins the student-led Order of the Phoenix and plays an important role in the two novels that follow, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Why she makes the list: Loony Luna is my absolute favorite character in the whole series (slightly ahead of Professor Snape) and she is basically the reason I picked up the series again and finished it (I'd initially stopped reading the series after the fourth book's publication). I saw Evanna Lynch's Luna on screen and thought, "that girl is seriously legit," and I had to find out more about her. To be absolutely honest, I see a lot of my adolescent self in Luna. Like her, I had different interests and styles that made me feel at odds with my classmates. But I love her gentle spirit and her quiet determination to do what is right. As zany as she is, Luna is one of the bravest of Hogwarts' students, and she continually proves her worth. Plus, I have to love a character JK Rowling describes as the "anti-Hermione." After all, I have never liked Hermione (though I'm probably one of the only readers who doesn't), and I like a character who's not so boringly and bossingly logical. Luna's whimsy, coupled with her fierce loyalty and bravery, are what make her my favorite Harry Potter character.

Standout quote: "Mistletoe," said Luna dreamily, pointing at a large clump of white berries placed almost over Harry's head. He jumped out from under it.
"Good thinking," said Luna seriously. "It's often infested with nargles."

Peeta Mellark from the Hunger Games trilogy
(Suzanne Collins, 2008-2010)
Quick character info: Peeta Mellark is the baker's son who, along with Katniss Everdeen, ends up as the tributes from District Twelve (and we all know that the 'tributes' are the designated two children/teens from each district who compete in the deadly Hunger Games). As the series progresses, he becomes a key member in the rebellion against the capital and is one of two guys who compete for Katniss' affections (the other guy, Gale, will never make a 'favorite character' list on this blog. EVER).
Why he makes the list: Okay, let me get one thing straight: I had a weird reading experience with this series. I absolutely adored the first book, somewhat liked the second one, and loathed the final one. And I'll just go ahead and say that I despise Katniss Everdeen as a character and if I ever made a WORST literary characters, she'd be on the list. Yeesh. Oh, and I'm not impressed that he's going to be played by Josh Hutcherson in the movie, and in all likeliness, I will not see the movie.
So why on earth does Peeta make this list? Because he was really the only thing that kept me going through Catching Fire, and the only reason I picked up Mockingjay at all. I hated what happened to him in that book, and I felt sorry for the guy that he got stuck with sad-sorry-excuse Katniss.
--

So that's my list! Stay tuned, because I'll likely post 10 more favorite characters in the future.
Which literary characters would make your list of favorites? If anybody has a post about favorite characters, leave the link so I can add it to the end of this post!