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Monday, August 26, 2013

Top Ten Most Memorable Secondary Characters


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Ten? Just ten? Hahahahahahahahahahaha!

No.

Here are... more than ten of my favorite secondary characters of all time. Also, I count secondary characters as, well, not MAIN characters. If they're not the main character, or one OF the main characters, or, generally, the love interest, then they're secondary. It's not an exact science, obviously. For example, I wouldn't include Ron and Hermione on this list, since they count as primary for me.

Related: Top Ten Sidekick Best Friends

1. Everybody from Harry Potter

 Seriously, can I write that? Can I just say everybody from Harry Potter? Because honestly... everybody from Harry Potter. This topic could easily have been renamed "Top Ten Side Characters from the Harry Potter series". Neville, Luna, the Weasley twins, Draco, Ginny, McGonagall, Snape, Lee Jordan, Lupin, Tonks, Sirius, Hedwig... seriously, stop me before I name EVERYBODY.

2. Orma from Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

This book has TONS of great side characters, including Glisselda and the adorable Loud Lad, but Orma is by far my favorite. He's cold and distant, like any good dragon-in-human-shape should be, but of course Seraphina brings out all the mushy feels in him, much to his horror. Seraphina loves him to pieces and describes him as being a like a cat that, the more dismissive it is of you, the more you love it. AND YES. I LOVE ORMA.

3. Toby from The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

Switching genres here, but I just HAD to give a shout-out to Toby, possibly the best character in a witty contemporary that was packed with awesome characters. Toby is a loyal friend who doesn't hold grudges, has a way with puns, and doesn't let a little thing like catching a severed head while riding a roller coaster hold him back. Plus, he's an awesome drunk. But more important, he's an awesome friend.

4. Nehemia from Throne of Glass/Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Nehemia is just the kind of bad-ass bitch that bad-ass bitch Celaena needs around. Nehemia is a brilliant princess on a mission to save her kingdom and her people, and together, she and C are like girl power to the max.



5. David from Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
(At this point, I'd classify Sturmhond as a primary character, but if he's not, THEN I VOTE STURMHOND ALWAYS FOR EVERYTHING)

David is so adorkable and clueless that I can't help but love him. He's like that science nerd who's secretly hot, if only he'd just take off his glasses for a second. Genya, most beautiful girl alive, is madly in love with him, and with good reason. He's just so CUTE! And of course Sturmhond should leave Ravka behind and come live with me and together we shall drink many, many bottles of kvas and do unspeakable things.

6. Faithful the cat from the Alanna series by Tamora Pierce

When I was a child, I wanted a black cat  not because of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but because of Alanna and Faithful. Faithful truly earns his name. He saves Alanna's life about a hundred times, and is always there to make a perfectly timed snide comment.

7. Storm from The Crown of Embers/The Bitter Kingdom and Mula from The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

One is a haughty Invierno who doesn't understand emotions or lies. The other is an adorable and hilarious little urchin. Together, they make secondary character MAGIC, and by magic, I mean they make me giggle, even when seriously epic things are going down.

8. Iko from Cinder and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Iko the android is so awesome, she made it onto my list of best best friends, even though she isn't even a live. She'd a glitchy android with a fabulous personality and sense of style, and she's always there for her girl Cinder, even when she's as fat as a space (because she's, you know, actually a space ship. Iko, not Cinder). Honorable mention to Thorne, my favorite character from Scarlet, but he's not going to be secondary for very much longer.

9. Kenji from Shatter Me/Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

 

Kenji is that hilarious get-a-grip friend that all emo YA heroines need. He is Edna Mode with a newspaper bellowing, "PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER!" He is the light in the dark in Unravel Me. He's the one who balances every tear with a laugh.



10. Reagan from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Reagan is outspoken, brash, and rude, which means she'd normally be a nightmare roommate for wallflower Cath. But for some reason, the two girls hit it off beautifully. There's something super
charming and sincere about how abrasive and blunt Reagan is. You just can't help but love her.

11. The entire Garrett family from My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

The Garretts are a huge, loud, and loving family with a SUBLIME sense of humor. Can I be invited to their next family dinner, pretty pretty please? I promise to babysit George, with his adorably serious doomsday predictions. In fact, I'd be happy to. Or Tim, Sam's best friend's brother! He was my other favorite character.

12. Finnick. No, Cinna. No, Boggs. No, Finnick. Effie? ARGH!
Everybody from The Hunger Games
Not everyone everyone. I'd like to give President Snow a swift kick in the pants, and many other people, but the rest I want to pull into my arms and hug forever.

13. Buruu from Stormdancer
I'd definitely call Buruu, the hilarious, loyal, ferocious thunder tiger, a primary character, but sod it, I wanted him on this list. SO HERE HE IS. 

I'M SURE I FORGOT SO MANY. As I remember them, I'll add them here in my...

Honorable mentions:

Diana Barry from Anne of Green Gables, Mr. Tumnus from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Michi from Stormdancer, Mia's entire family in If I Stay, especially Teddy, Tina and Boris from The Princess Diaries.

22 comments:

  1. I love Iko. I've listened to part of the series on audio and the narrator does her voice exactly how I imagined, which is kind of cool and only semi-creepy.

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  2. Okay I think I'll have to use this for my Friday post. However I am in agreement with you. Basically my entire list could be summed up in two book series: Harry Potter series & The Hunger Games trilogy. If I had to pick five from each of those two...

    HP
    Snape
    Sirius
    Lupin
    Tonks
    Luna

    THG Trilogy
    Finnick
    Cinna
    Annie (I know she was barely in there but I don't care)
    Johanna
    Prim

    Done...

    And yes I am a TOTAL fangirl for both of these series.

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  3. I think I should have saved myself a lot of time and angst this week and simply gone with your rather ingenious choice for Harry Potter. I ended up settling on Dobby and Hermione, but had I allowed myself, I could have composed this week's Top Ten Tuesday list using nothing but characters from that series. There are just too many to choose from! What about Hedwig, or Neville, or Snape, or Luna, or Lupin, or...

    Okay, I'm back after passing out from the sudden rush of blood to my head. But seriously, folks.

    I'm really looking forward to reading My Life Next Door, now! I've owned it for longer than I would like to admit and have yet to read it, but after seeing the Garrett family as a staple on many Top Ten Tuesday lists this week, my anticipation has really increased. I love when an author takes the time to focus on family dynamics, something which I find is woefully under-represented in the young adult genre, and I have high hopes for that novel now!

    Great choices this week, Gillian! I particularly loved your use of GIFs - They really made me smile :D (Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are *always* the right answer)

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  4. Hahaha - we are of one mind on Harry Potter (that's more or less exactly how my post started too). And I'm glad to see Faithful on another list too!

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  5. "Sturmhond always for everything" -- HAHA YES. he is seriously my favorite. =) And I totally agree with everything for HP. Seriously! Everyone!! I love them all!!

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  6. Gah, this is such a good list! I agree with everyone from The Hunger Games, but Cinna does have a special place in my heart, even if I forgot about him on my list...
    Also I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only person giving Iko some love in these lists!
    My TTT

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  7. I can't believe I forgot Iko. A great character. I love how you've got round the Harry Potter/Hunger Games inclusion. There really are too many good secondary characters in those series!

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  8. What a great list! I agree with so many of these and your description of Kenji really made me laugh (it's funny 'cause it's true) Also the Garret family!!! Ugh now I just want to re-read everything...

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  9. Ok, your introduction made me laugh out loud! And numbers 1 and 12 are PERFECT. They completely sum up both the HP and the Hunger Games series perfectly - we love all of the characters! Except for, say, Umbridge...
    Check out my TTT list: http://booksavvyblog.blogspot.com/

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  10. Your answers are kind of perfect. Especially the one for the Harry Potter series. I couldn't decide on just one, so I went with the Weasley family - just because I could get the most people in with one name.

    And oh my goodness, Kenji!! I just finished Unravel Me, but for awhile I was resisting the urge to just tell Juliette to stop feeling sorry for herself (although she wouldn't hear me), but then Kenji does. And oh my goodness. He's just so straight forward with her and ever emo YA heroine needs their own Kenji.

    Fantastic list!!

    - Tabitha @ Tabitha's Book Blog - My TTT

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  11. LOL "Everybody from Harry Potter" = PERFECTION. Seriously. They're all amazing characters! I'm also a huge fan of Kenji. He's just so awesome!

    Kelly @ Dandelion Dreams

    My Top Ten

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  12. You absolutely can say everyone from Harry Potter. I ded Dumbledore's Army/The Weasleys but I forgot about Draco so now I'm sad.

    Nehemia! I love her so much.


    Kenji made my list too because he's so freaking hilarious and awesome. I love him.

    YES YES YES YES TO THE GARRETT FAMILY. I have so many feelings about them.

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  13. I laughed at the "Everybody from Harry Potter". I think a lot of us feel that way. I managed to narrow down to Lupin, but I felt so guilty over it. :) Awesome list!

    Shelly @ raindropsandpages My TTT

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  14. Everyone from Harry Potter is on my list too. I love all of them. More than Harry. Mula is also on my list. Love that girl so much.

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  15. Faithful is such a perfect choice! I love all the Tamora Pierce books, but the Alanna series is probably my favourite. All her characters have so much depth and so many hidden facets, though, I can reread them over and over again without ever getting bored. I included Lalasa from the Protector of the Small series on my list - she's very different from the female protagonists that Tamora usually writes but she's still successful in her own way.

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  16. OMG, YES YES YES to your list! Everyone from HP and Hunger Games pretty much sums it up. Rowling and Collins have created such vibrant, rich characters that are so tragic and complex. It's nearly impossible to choose just one!

    I know Sturmhond kind of became a main character in the end of Siege & Storm, but I neeeeeed him to make this list because, well, it's Sturmhond and there is NO BODY BETTER!

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  17. Okay. AWESOME list :D Sigh. I need to re-read Seraphina soon <3 Forgotten all the names/characters :( sad face. Loved the book. And ohh. Reading The Beginning of Everything next :D <3 Thank you :) And dying to read Fangirl. Sigh. Jealous :)

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  18. MORE THAN TEN? Must be Gillian's blog. OH LOOK, I AM RIGHT.

    I thought you weren't going to the EVERYONE from HP thing. *shakes head in disappointment*

    Orma! *high fives*

    Nehemiah! YEAH GIRL. Awesome gif is perfection.

    Lol, someone criticized me for not having Sturmhond, but that is why.

    MUST REREAD ALL TAMORA PIERCE.

    Have not met Mula yet.

    Or Kenji. HMMMMM. So you like these books?

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  19. Picking someone from Harry Potter is so hard, right? I went with the twins, but I keep remembering other characters like Dobby, Hagrid -- there's just too many!

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  20. I wanted to pick so many characters from HP that I couldn't choose just one! Awesome list!
    -Scott Reads It

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  21. ORMA! I so should have put David on my list, I just stuck with Sturmhond because I thought of him and then forgot everyone else in that series. Because...it's Sturmhond, hello. Faithful the cat, oh my gosh! WHY DID I NOT INCLUDE ANY ALANNA CHARACTERS? I agree with basically everyone on the list that I have read. I need to read the others asap.

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