Character Trait I Love

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. “It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.”

I really love this week’s topic and I can not wait to see everyone’s choices! Writing this post has been enlightening. I realized that the first traits that came to mind were actually what one might consider to be negative traits and are not things I admire in people, but are traits I look for in fictional characters- they make for more interesting reading! I decided to choose five positive traits and five negative traits.

Positive Traits

Curious

I love a character who has a curious mind and a passion for learning- even better if their curiosity sometimes gets them in to trouble. I think that this trait can lead the character into some interesting situations which makes for an exciting read!

Favourite curious characters: Anne from Anne of Green Gables, Sherlock Holmes, Alice from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Gentle

You know how there are some characters that are so sweet and gentle that you just want to protect them? I have heard them described as cinnamon rolls! I love when I find characters like that in books who are almost too good for the world they live in. They are normally side characters and they are usually the most memorable for me.

Favourite gentle characters: Ansel from Serpent & Dove, Neville Longbottom, Satoru from The Travelling Cat Chronicles

Wise

It is such a cliche, but I just love old, wise characters who bring some wisdom and experience to a situation. There is often a lot of chaotic and impulsive decisions made in novels and it is nice to have a wise character to add some balance.

Favourite wise characters: I mean… Gandalf and Dumbledore of course!

Supportive

Is there anything better than a supportive character? I love reading about characters who cheer other people on- it is so refreshing! There is nothing I love more in fiction than reading about a character who has a supportive friend group, family, or partner.

Favourite supportive characters: Angelica from With the Fire on High, Dani from Beyond the Point, Everyone in The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants

Passionate

Reading about a character’s passion is always fascinating to me. It is interesting to see the different things that someone can be passionate about. It is always inspiring to me as the reader.

Favourite passionate characters: Emoni from With the Fire on High, Kiko from Starfish, Jude from I’ll Give You the Sun

Negative Traits

Sarcastic

I have always been someone who has appreciated sarcasm and wit. It is really the only type of humour that works for me in fiction. Sarcastic characters are always the most memorable to me. I not only want sarcastic villains, but I love when the heroes have a bit of an edge as well- makes for interesting banter.

Favourite sarcastic characters: Jackal from The Immortal Rules, Mark Watney from The Martian

Proud

Pride is one of the seven deadly sins, and I just love to see it in my characters. I especially love when it leads to some character development and they become less and less proud at the story unfolds.

Favourite proud characters: Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice, Reid from Serpent & Dove

Vengeful

I have come to the realization that I love revenge stories. They are always fascinating and satisfying. I love reading about a character’s motivations and seeing the different ways that they seek their revenge- it is a plot device that will never get old.

Favourite vengeful characters: Alex from The Female of the Species, Hamlet, Everyone in Game of Thrones

Impulsive

Impulsive characters are constantly getting themselves in to trouble, and while it can be immensely frustrating, it is also fun to read about and helps to propel the story along.

Favourite impulsive characters: Jay Gatsby, Cara from Bitter Orange

Blunt

Reading about blunt characters who are not afraid to speak the truth or often put their foot in their mouth always makes me laugh. It is often refreshing to see someone who just says it like it is.

Favourite blunt characters: Jo March from Little Women, Unnamed Narrator from The Sleeping Giants

This was really fun but challenging to remember characters I loved who possess these traits. If you have any suggestions of books with characters I would adore I would love to hear about them!