Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week.
This week’s theme is Top Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters. Sometimes we love a book for the dashing heroes, the leading love interest, the grand adventurer. And sometimes it’s the people in the background who really bring a book to life and give it depth, filling out an entire community even while they’re not the main focus. So here’s a salute to all those amazing characters who may not have their own books (yet!), but who make such an impact on us as readers.
Actually, my first thought with this week’s list was to fill up my 10 choices with just Harry Potter characters, which — believe me — wouldn’t be hard at all to do. But in the interest of diversity, I’m branching out and limiting myself to just one from Harry’s world, which is:
1) Dobby, Harry Potter series: We met him as an annoying little creature causing Harry all sorts of woe in book 2 — but by the 7th book, it’s clear that Dobby is one of the unsung heroes of the series. “Dobby is a free elf!” If you didn’t leave the first Deathly Hallows movies in tears, then I’m sorry, my friend, but your heart is made of stone.
2) Ian Murray (“Young Ian”), Outlander series. Ian always reminds me of an overgrown puppy, especially when he makes his first appearance in Voyager. But from a skinny, gawky, always-in-trouble 14-year-old, Ian grows into a strong, brave young man who has survived more than his share of heartbreak and impossible challenges. And always with so much love for his family, and so much devotion and loyalty!
3) Samwise Gamgee, Lord of the Rings trilogy: Is there a better friend than Sam? He doesn’t get the glory, but without him, Frodo never would have made it to Mordor.
4) Reepicheep, Narnia series: A fearless soldier devoted to honor and adventure, who also happens to be a two-foot high mouse. Reep rules.
5) Claudia, Interview With The Vampire: Back before the flood of vampire books, there was Interview… and Interview introduces us to one of the most shocking vampire characters of all time: Claudia, turned as a little girl, destined to always be trapped in a girl’s body even after decades of life. She’s a killer, she’s wanton, and she’s utterly tragic.
6) Ivy Hisselpenny, The Parasol Protectorate series: Never underestimate the power of an atrocious hat! Ivy is the best friend of main character Alexia, and keeps Alexia amused and informed with her never-ending gossip, chit-chat and fashion missteps. Ivy goes from mere sidekick to a more active figure as the series progresses, but never loses her humor or her awful hats.
7) Dee, Just One Day: Gayle Forman’s Just One Day has at its center a love story and a girl’s personal growth and transformation — but a key part of Allyson’s development happens in college once she meets Dee, the outspoken boy from her Shakespeare class who convinces Allyson to break out of her shell and take some chances.
8) Charlotte Lucas, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Charlotte Lucas, best friend of Elizabeth Bennett, is kind of bland and unremarkable in Pride and Prejudice. But in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, as one of the afflicted, Charlotte is one of the funniest (and grossest) parts of the book. It’s kind of a riot to watch her slowly turning into a zombie while everyone around her is too well-mannered to mention her little problem.
9) Go, Gone Girl: Margo, twin sister of main character Nick, loves him and supports him, but is no push-over. She doesn’t have a central role, but I did always enjoy it when Go would show up in a scene.
10) Lou Carmody, NOS4A2: I absolutely loved the character Lou in Joe Hill’s super-creepy NOS4A2. As I wrote in my review: “Lou is terribly overweight and not very healthy, but has a heart of gold, the soul of a hero, and is a geeky fanboy through and through, as well as one hell of a mechanic.” Lou loves with all his heart, and does wonderful things because of that love.
So, sorry Fred and George, Lupin and Tonks, and the rest of the HP gang, but there just wasn’t room for everyone this week!
Who made your list this week?
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