Character Connection Will Killian

Character Connection is hosted by the lovely Jen from The Introverted Reader. It gives us the chance to gush, ramble, and just plain carry on about a character we love. Head on over and join up, you know you want to. 

So, It's been ages since I did a Character Connection but I sort of miss thinking about a character in such depth. It's one thing to like a book as a whole but, let's face it, we usually like books based on the characters. That's why I love this Character Connection meme. It lets us give credit where credit is due.

Will Killian see's ghosts and it's all he can do to ignore them, but when Alona, the most popular girl in high school, gets hit by a bus, ignoring her and her long sexy legs is going to be a lot harder.

OK, maybe you're thinking I just sounded totally anti-feminist and sexist saying a girl with long sexy legs is hard to ignore but that's how Will thinks and why I love him so much. Sure, Alona is a pain in the ass but she is pretty hot. Come on! That is so how a guy thinks and you know it! I'm always so impressed when a author, a woman author, can capture a male character so well.

But back to Will. He's an only child. His dad committed suicide eight months ago and his mom is very concerned about him. He's in therapy for his "problem" but it's not something medication can help. He sees ghosts and if they find out they NEVER leave him alone. The principal of his school has a personal vendetta against him and all he wants is to stay under the radar and make it through the last few weeks of high school. Will manages to ignore the ghosts with the help of his iPod and his antisocial behavior but when Alona dies her ghost is about to make everything change.

My favorite thing about Will is how realistically male he is. I know, I know that's praise for the author but I wouldn't like him so much if he wasn't believable as teenage guy. He admires Alona's body but isn't stupid enough to let that completely control him. After all, Alona is REALLY annoying. He cares about the few people who are truly close to him and just wants to live a normal existence. Best of all he's sarcastic, and if there's one thing I find irresistible it's sarcasm.

As for how I picture Will looking? Will is described by Alona as goth and I love the model on the book covers, he works for me even though Will actually has blue eyes, but I seriously want to mess up his hair. I just can't take a goth with carefully coiffed hair!

Well, I'll stop my rambling. I hope my gushing about Will personally and not just the books will convince you to read this series. So fun! I can't wait for the third one! 

Character Connection Astley From The Need Series

Character Connection is hosted by Jen of The Introverted Reader every Thursday. It's a great meme to gush about the characters we love. Head on over and join up.

Today I'd like to gush about Astley from the Need series. Now, I know these books aren't very well loved...well, in my circle of friends, any way, and I'm not a huge drooling fan myself, but I definitely love Astley and here's why.

We don't meet Astley until book two, Captivate, and that's a good thing because after the first book and the control freak that was Nick, we're all ready for a much better guy to come along.

Astley is pixie king which I admit makes hims sound kinda wimpy and, hey, maybe he is because he doesn't try to control Zara. Beause he isn't all possessive and manipulative like Nick. Nevertheless, he kicks butt if he needs to and is ready to fight along side Zara. He believes in destiny and calmly waits for Zara to realize she belongs with him...and she certainly better decide that!!! ;) He comes from one messed up family, his mom is a lying unloving...ahem (I won't say what) who tricked him into getting his fiance killed so he has that whole sympathy thing going for him. He loves his people and wants to serve them and he wants Zara to think he's perfect even though he knows he's not. But what I love most is his belief in Zara's ability to fight her own battles...even though, he's right there to rescue her if she ends up needing him after all. 

So, yeah, in comparison to all those other control freak guys out there Astley is in a league of his own. BTW, I don't usually picture movie or TV stars as book characters and I didn't picture anyone in particular as Astley but I could see Alex Pettyfer playing him. Anyone else?

Character Connection: Frankenstein's Monster

 

 Character Connection is hosted by Jen of The Introverted Reader every Thursday. It's a great meme to gush about the characters we love. Head on over and join up. 

                                  Frankenstein's monster. 

Yes, I'm one of those picky people that get mad if you call him Frankenstein. He doesn't have a name and is known only as Frankenstein's monster in my favorite book ever! Frankenstein is Victor Frankenstein, the man and creator of this sad wonderful, and, yes, scary monster. Let's just not get them confused, okay?

He's portrayed as a monster. He's supposed to be scary, and he sort of is, but what I never expected going into this beautiful book years ago was that I'd get to read a good portion of the book from his perspective. 

Seeing things through his eyes gave me insight into his evolution from rejected and feared creation to monster, and evokes such sympathy and understanding that I can't help but feel for, and pity him.

From the moment he is brought to life he is hated and feared, first by his own creator, then by humanity, and then, even by the family he watches for months and dares hope might accept him.

I can't even begin to do this character justice. You should hear it from the author's mouth. Enjoy the beautiful, passion evoking prose of Shelley and breathtaking art work of Bernie Wrightson. 

Oh! no mortal could support the horror of that countenance. A mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch. I had gazed on him while unfinished; he was ugly then; but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived. 

I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I knew, and could distinguish, nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides, I sat down and wept.

My mode of life in my hovel was uniform. During the morning, I attended the motions of the cottagers; and when they dispersed in various occupations I slept: the remainder of the day was spent in observing my friends.

 Like Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence; but his state was far different from mine in every other respect.  He had come forth from the hands of God a perfect creature, happy and prosperous, guarded by the especial care of his Creator...but I was wretched, helpless and alone...Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? 

There was none among the myriads of men that existed who would pity or assist me; and should I feel kindness towards my enemies? No: from that moment I declared everlasting war against the species, and, more than all, against him who had formed me and sent me forth to this insupportable misery.

"You must create a female for me, with whom I can live in the interchange of those sympathies necessary for my being? This alone you can do; and I demand it of you as a right you must not refuse to concede. " 

I thought with a sensation of madness on my promise of creating another like to him, and trembling with passion, tore to pieces the thing on which I was engaged...."Shall each man, "" cried he,  "find a wife for his bosom, and each beast have his mate, and I be alone?"  

The murderous mark of the fiend's grasp was on her neck, and the breath had ceased to issue from her lips. 


Victor Frankenstein had created a man with his hands but by his actions, created a monster. Who can't help but feel sympathy? I hope you enjoyed the pictures and prose. I had fun searching through the book again and re-reading some of my favorite parts and I never get sick of looking at this artwork. So, do you think my sympathy for the monster is crazy?

Character Connection, Matthew Swift from the Matthew Swift series

 

Matthew, Matthew, I don't think there is any character I like as much as him! I'll begin by telling you a little about the series because if you haven't heard of it and you enjoy a truly well written, adventure packed urban fantasy you have got to read these books!  Matthew was a sorcerer in London, I say was because two years before the first book starts, Matthew was killed. But as the first book opens Matthew is resurrected and he dosen't know by whom, but he does know who killed him and thus his adventure begins. And if that doesn't interest you, you should know he didn't come back alone; a powerful entity came with him, inside him. I wont say more about that you'll just have to read these books. (yes, I'm a book pusher) 

  Matthew is incredibly loveable. He's absolutely hilarious in my favorite way; sarcastically. He says the funniest things that have me laughing nearly every page. He's humble and laid back in situations that would have anyone else curled in the fetal position; not to say he might not curl likewise if he felt so inclined, and, yet he never, and I mean, NEVER gives up. With a love for food and walking the city he calls home Matthew has the unfortunate habit of getting into sticky situations that always leave him saving the day and still remaining so freaking humble! I love it. 

Now, for some fun. There are three books out in this series so far, and each of them has an awesome cover, but there's a different guy on every cover which is just plain weird to me. So, I thought I'd post them here and let you tell me which one you like best. I know you might not have read the books and don't know which one best portrays Matthew but I'm still interested in your opinion. 

There, I hope those are big enough for you to see. Good heavens! Just talking about Matthew makes me want to read these books all over again!

Character Connection, Anne Elliot of Persuasion

Ah, what's not to love about Anne? She mature and responsible and amiable. Alright, so she was a little too influenced in her youth but aren't we all a little too worried what family and friends think of us? But Anne redeems herself in the end, she stands up for herself and finally makes her own decisions. By far, Anne is my favorite Austen heroine.

I once took a personality quiz online to find out what Jane Austen character I was.  I was Anne Elliot. Yeah, I could see that. I put way too much stock into what family and friends say but I hope I can finally end up with my own Captain Wentworth. So if you want to see what Jane Austen heroin you are you can take the quiz HERE and let me know who you were and if you agree. It's just for fun. Enjoy. And if you haven't read persuasion...for heavens sake! It's the best Jane Austen, you HAVE to read it!

Character Connection: Odd from the Odd Thomas series

click here

“The dead don’t talk. I don’t know why.” But they do try to communicate, with a short-order cook in a small desert town serving as their reluctant confidant. Odd Thomas thinks of himself as an ordinary guy, if possessed of a certain measure of talent at the Pico Mundo Grill and rapturously in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, Stormy Llewellyn. Maybe he has a gift, maybe it’s a curse, Odd has never been sure, but he tries to do his best by the silent souls who seek him out. Synopsis of Odd Thomas

Yes, his name really is Odd, Odd Thomas. And if you're thinking: oh, I don't like mysteries, or adult paranormal, or Dean Koontz novels, well think again! You'll love Odd as much as me.

Odd, sees the dead, thus, the paranormal element, but what makes Odd truly unique and lovable is his humility and innocence and just plain goodness. He's polite, always saying mam and sir. He always makes the right decision even though he may not think so. (there's that humility thing again)  He goes out of his way to help anyone, even complete strangers; even complete "dead" strangers. He's funny and sweet and passionately loyal.

I beg you, no dare you, even challenge you to read the Odd Thomas series and not come away desperately enamored with Odd. You may not like the storyline. You may think it's a bit too dark or creepy for your taste but I guarantee you you'll love Odd.

Alas, I have such a hard time expressing my feelings sometimes. If you want a better taste of Odd's character you can click over to this amusing interview between him and the author. Or you can get a real feel for him in his own words here. You won't be sorry you clicked on either of these links.



So, have I convinced you to read the series yet? Have you read the series? Do you feel the beginnings of a character crush? I hope so.

Character Connection: Cassel from White Cat and Red Glove

I've been following blogs for some time and Character Connection has always been a favorite of mine. I couldn't wait to do one so here goes.

Cassel from White Cat and Red Glove, Ah, what can I say? I've got quite the little crush on him. He comes from a family of curse workers who have ties to the mafia. So, you can imagine his life has not been very easy. Especially since he's so determined to live his own life and be his own man. Still, as always seems to be the case, he finds himself in situations where  the "not so great" things he's learned from his family come in rather handy.  But...,and this is my favorite aspect about him, he always puts his family first. Even though they really don't deserve it; and I mean REALLY don't deserve it.

Cassel is one of the most real male characters created by a female author. That's one of the main reasons I'm so fond of him. All to often I find myself fuming over some ridiculous male character that's prancing around acting like a girl! Cassel is ALL man! He acts like a guy, he thinks like a guy, and, boy, would I love to meet him. OK, so that would be considered illegal because of the age thing but hey, can you blame me?

So, if you haven't read these books yet, you just might consider it; if for no other reason then to appreciate his manliness.

Below are two different pictures of the cover of White Cat. I have the one where there's writing all over Cassel's head so I don't get to enjoy but you can. It's pretty much what I imagined him to look like.