I loved this week’s topic because it challenged me. It is very rare for humour to work for me in books. Give me a sad book over a funny one any day! That said, it was fun to look back on the books that I have read and try to remember the characters who made me laugh.
Jackal from Blood of Eden
Anytime this kind of question comes up my go to answer is always Jackal from the Blood of Eden series. There is something about him and his sense of humour that I just click with. He is so deliciously evil and sarcastic! His arrogance and snarky remarks are highlights of the series, but what made me fall in love with his character is that he also has a lot more depth- you come to understand him and his motivations. Here are a few of his best lines:
“Oh, don’t mind me,” came an extremely sarcastic voice near the wall. “You two go ahead and make out–I’ll just sit here and bleed quietly.”
“Next time you two decide to go on a bloody killing spree, at least send me an invitation so I know that you care.”
“This is the most I have ever been in the sewers in one place. If someone had said to me a month ago, ‘Hey, Jackal, guess where you’ll be spending most of your time in New Covington? Ankle-deep in shit!’ I would’ve ripped their lips off.”
“Andrew Martin” from The Humans
The reason I put Andrew Martin in quotations is because the character Andrew Martin isn’t the real Andrew Martin but an alien who has taken over his body. It sounds ridiculous, and in many ways it is, but the story ends up being surprisingly charming and profound. What made this alien character so hilarious was his attempts at fitting in and trying to act human. A lot of his observations were funny but also poignant. Here are some of my favourite lines:
“If getting drunk was how people forgot they were mortal, then hangovers were how they remembered.”
“To be a human is to state the obvious. Repeatedly. Over and over, until the end of time.”
“It was, of course, another test. Everything in human life was a test. That was why they all looked so stressed out.”
Murderbot from The Murderbot Diaries
Who would have thought that a robot would be so relatable? What is more hilarious than a self-aware robot who just wants to watch TV all day? I think I am just going to let Murderbot speak for itself:
“They were all so nice and it was just excruciating. I was never taking off the helmet again. I can’t do even the half-assed version of this stupid job if I have to talk to humans.”
“I didn’t care what humans were doing to each other as long as I didn’t have to a) stop it or b) clean up after it.”
“I wanted to just sink into my media downloads for a while and pretend I didn’t exist.”
Anne from Anne of Green Gables
There is so much that I adore about Anne but I think it is her sense of humour that I am most drawn to. She has such an interesting outlook on life and she is also very blunt, so that leads to some hilarious lines. I have vivid memories of reading Anne of Green Gables and laughing out loud at some of Anne’s antics. You would have to read the novel to truly appreciate her sense of humour but here are some of my favourite quotes:
“I can’t cheer up — I don’t want to cheer up. It’s nicer to be miserable!”
“I can’t. I’m in the depths of despair. Can you eat when you are in the depths of despair?”
“There’s such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I’m such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldn’t be half so interesting.”
Bridget from Bridget’s Jones Diary
I have to admit that this is one of those cases where I preferred the movie over the book, but I love Bridget Jones’s sense of humour in both! As time goes on, I find myself relating to and appreciating her more and more. I think that is part of what makes her so great and hilarious- a lot of readers can see themselves in her! Here is some of her hilarity:
“I will not fall for any of the following: alcoholics, workaholics, commitment phobics, people with girlfriends or wives, misogynists, megalomanics, chauvists, emotional fuckwits or freeloaders, perverts.”
“Being a woman is worse than being a farmer there is so much harvesting and crop spraying to be done: legs to be waxed, underarms shaved, eyebrows plucked, feet pumiced, skin exfoliated and moisturised, spots cleansed, roots dyed, eyelashes tinted, nails filed, cellulite massaged, stomach muscles exercised.”
“That is such crap. How dare you be so fraudulently flirtatious, cowardly and dysfunctional? I am not interested in emotional fuckwittage. Goodbye.”
Who are your favourite funny characters are? Bonus points if they are sarcastic!
I haven’t heard about most of those but a great topic! Of the top of my head my favs would be Kate Daniels and Percy Jackson (actually most of RR’s characters tbh but he is the OG lol)
I feel like I missed the boat on Percy Jackson. I should really try the Lightning Thief one of these days!
I only picked it up in uni myself! It’s never too late and it’s a lot of fun 🙂
I love Bridget Jones! She’s so embarrassingly hilarious 😂 Great list!!
This prompt has got me thinking and, TBH, I don’t even know where to start with listing funny characters. This is a tough one!
It is a challenge for sure! I am reading other lists and keep think “Why didn’t I think of that character?!”
Those are some excellent choices. It is amazing how characters you never thought as funny can be when you pay attention.
That is so true!
Anne!! Totally agree with Anne … she always makes me laugh. I feel like I relate to her so much when it comes to her imagination and grandiose thoughts.
I have ACTUALLY never read the Bridget Jones books, but I love the movies. Now SHE is someone I can relate to. Lovely post!
Anne is so hilariously charming. You are so right about her imagination.
Haha no one more relatable than Bridget Jones!
I love Anne and Murderbot! Definitely need to get around to reading the Bridget Jones Diary books, based on those quotes it sounds fun!
It is fun! Just good for a laugh and something not too serious.
I feel like I should read more humourous books as I’d struggle with a list of funny characters 😅 I really want to read most of these though. And I love that you included quotes to give a glimpse of those characters humour too
I feel the same way! Thank you. I thought that was the best way to explain why I thought they were funny!
OMG I completely forgot about Bridget Jones although I am not sure how lol
It’s an older book but she is so hilarious!
I know! Once you said it, it all came rushing back. Great call on your part!
Hahaha! Bridget Jones is hilarious! XD I’ve actually never read that books but now I really want to! I really loved AIDAN from Illuminae. His comments cracked me up all the time! Also, the bantering between Blue and Ronan is The Raven Cycle was just hilarious.
Bridget Jones is the best!
AIDAN is such a good choice. He’s so interesting!
I have only read The Raven Boys. I need to continue on with the series.
Yes! Please do! The books keep getting better and better! I just finished this series and actually wrote a whole post on why I’m obsessed with it XD
I feel like humor is a hard thing for books to pull of because… most authors aren’t comedians. Being funny is a whole separate skill set that some people either have or don’t. With that being said, I 100% agree with you on The Humans. That book is hilarious! I also absolutely need to get around to The Murderbot Diaries!
Great post!
You’re so right! Not everyone has the gift of comedy. I think you’ll love The Murderbot Diaries!
HA! That Bridget Jones quote about women being worse than a farmer is hilarious!! 😂
Hahah I know!!
Rutherford Calhoun from “Middle Passage” by Charles Johnson
It’s a historical fiction novel about a freed slave who tries to escape his debtors by boarding a ship that’s heading to Africa to pick up slaves. The story is told from Rutherford’s perspective and because he’s so sarcastic, it’s fun. It’s a quick read and a really good one.
That’s sounds really interesting and like something I would like. Thanks!!
I totally agree with Anne and Bridget!!
They are both hilarious in very different ways!
For sure!
I quote you on Jackal! The series was a bit of a disappointment for me, but he was my “sunshine”!
And I have yet to start Martha Wells series but I am so so curious about it!!
Jackal was what made that series for me!
The Murderbot Diaries is so entertaining and quick reads. Good if you feel a reading slump coming on!
That’s great advice, thank you!!!! 🙂
Anne is such a great pick!
She is hysterical!
Definitely going to be buying a few of these books, they sound awesome 🙂
Yay! Enjoy! 😊
Good list. I think Bridget is hilarious. She never fails to make me feel better about myself. 🙂
Thank you! She is awesome!