Nine, Ten; Big Fat Hen

A fellow member on a writer's forum, that I am part of, suggested we list out 10 of our favourite literary characters. I thought it would be a good thing to dive into memory, ponder upon all the lovely characters I have known since childhood and just have some fun.

You know it is tough to restrict to 10 so I am just going to have to axe some of the fairies and pixies I knew as a child and focus on some more recent ones (not fairies and pixies I met as an adult).


Severus Snape: From the Harry Potter series by J.K.Rowling. Yes, I love Harry and his two bum chums but I like Snape more. A complex character very well written. In the final book he comes out a hero and my heart just went out to him.


Nancy Drew: From the Nancy Drew mystery series (but of course!) I wanted to be like when growing up. She was the ultimate girl; pretty, suave, intelligent and a teenager who had her head firmly screwed on to her shoulders. And yes, she had an equally charming boyfriend too. I wanted to be just like her.


Fatty a.k.a Frederick Algernon Trotteville: From the Five Find Outers and Dog series by Enid Blyton. I wanted to be like him too. He always had lots of pocket money, he always got to do exciting suff, he always solved mysteries and I think at that time he was only 12.


Viviane Walker: From the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells. I only read this book recently but the character of Viviane Walker being so spunky and strong has creeped into my favourite list. She loves her kids but hates them too (you know it happens, not that you really hate them), she would die or kill for any of her other three friends who are part of the sisterhood. This character is just so real.


Sherlock Holmes: When reading the series I was so enamoured by his personality I thought I'd fall in love with him. Wit, wisdom, intelligence he had it all. Actually I should've been in love with Arthur Conan Doyle for creating such an exceptional character.


Florentyna Kane: From The Prodigal Daughter, Shall we tell the President (later editions) and also Kane & Abel by Jeffrey Archer. When I was in college Florentyna was "the" woman. I liked her so much I went ahead and created an email id for myself by that name.


Don Vito Corleone: Need I say more?

Zoya: Zoya by Danielle Steele. Oh yes, I did read a lot of Danielle Steele in high school and though I cannot stand to read them now, this character Zoya, I cannot forget. She weathered war, poverty and loss and also managed to rise above all that. I don't think I'd want to read this book again, possibly my respect for Zoya might change. But more than being my favourite she's an unforgettable character that I have come across.

Robert Kincaid: Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller. If a man could be any more of a man and a gentleman, it would be Robert Kincaid.

Frank Gilbreth: Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth,Jr and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. The main character of this book, also he's not fictional but definitely my favourite. For the Father he is, for the slightly eccentric but fun human being he is. Well, I don't want to give out more for people who haven't read this book. But I loved this character.

So there's my ten, though it was hard making the choices.