This week is a Freebie so I chose the top 10 characters I identify with. After writing the post I decided that it’s largely about 2 factors – the author’s ability to develop characters and were I was at in my life when I read it.
This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
On the surface I don’t have that much in common with Elise. I definitely did not suffer from the level of bullying and isolation in HS that she did, but I was definitely an outsider. I really identified with how freeing it is to find your “tribe”. Mine tribe isn’t the same as Elise’s, but the feelings are the same.
Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts by Claire Lazebnik
Lazebnik is one of two authors that gets multiple mentions on this list for me. Keats is very smart, personable – everyone loves her. Both her siblings are geniuses, in a family the values intellect above all. I don’t have the family issues that Keats does, but I think everyone can identify with not fitting in somewhere they should.
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Identifying with this novel was inevitable. It takes place on the same college campus I went to and I actually have quite a bit in common with Cath. Love of the written word for sure. I’m uncomfortable in new situations so I understand Cath’s anxiety even though it’s much more severe than I’ve ever dealt with. I’ve never gotten into fanfiction, but I felt similarities to my interaction with the book blogging world.
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
It’s almost embarrassing to admit how much I identified with Eva given that she is a totally unlikeable character. Eva didn’t really want children and I totally do, but I could totally connect with her feels of lost identity once she got pregnant. It does seem like our society is so baby centric that once a woman becomes pregnant she ceases to be a person and just a walking womb.
If You Lived Here, You’d be Home Now by Claire LaZebnik
I really love Rickie even when she drives me crazy. And I totally understood her relationship with her mother. There were times when I’d know she wasn’t being fair, but I understood. When I’m frustrated I totally take it out on my mom, because I know she’ll forgive me. And my mom’s probably reading this so I’ll just say I’m sorry right now.
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
I’m always the friend (like Rachel) who stays sober enough to make sure her friends don’t do anything TOO crazy. It’s who I am, but sometimes you feel like it results in fading into the background.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I mainly identify with Katniss’s relationship with her younger sibling. My brother is 7 years younger than me and I have always been protective.
Seeing Me Naked by Liza Palmer
Due to a very intellectual family that tended to mock sentiment, Elisabeth struggled with emotional intimacy. She was also having a bit of a quarter life crisis: her brother has just published a literary masterpiece and she hasn’t made any progress on her 5 years plan in 5 years. Her life didn’t directly mirror mine, but when I read it I just really connected with her struggles.
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Lincoln is the only man on this list, but OMG there’s so much about Lincoln I identify with. He’s addiction to degrees and ability to make friends with people outside his peer group are just two of the biggest.
I really like this category! It makes me think about how I've started to enjoy older protagonists than I used to... mostly in that I really am enjoying reading more about marriage and motherhood, probably because that's where I'm at right now. The first character that popped into my mind that I identify with is Jill from Allison Winn Scotch's Time of My Life.... she was not a particularly likeable character either, but I could really identify with her wishing for a do-over and then realizing the grass is always greener.
ReplyDelete