The Hunger Games (finally)

Well, after taking a long hiatus (thanks to Pumpkins at the Park and then needing to recover from Pumpkins), I think I’m ready to be back. I’ll go back to our semi-regularly-scheduled Top 5 Tuesday next week, but for now, I shall opine!

Also, I KNOW this movie came out in March (and, in fact, is now out on DVD), but I told you I’m working through a backlog. Just go with it, people.

Synopsis: After a brutal North American civil war, the powerful Capital of Panem emerges, ruling the 12 remaining Districts with an iron fist. Each year, to remind them of their treason, each of the 12 districts is to provide 2 tributes – one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 – to fight in a bloody battle to the death known as the Hunger Games. As the 74^th Games approaches, 16 year-old Katniss Everdeen readies her 12-year old sister for her first Reaping. Since her father’s death, Katniss has been the main provider for her family, illegally using her hunting and gathering skills to keep her mother and sister alive. But when Prim is chosen as the girl tribute for District 12, Katniss must put those skills to a different use – taking her sister’s place and surviving in the arena.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Discussion Points: Overall, I thought The Hunger Games was a fantastic adaptation. Everyone knows I’m a purist, and I tend to be overly critical of filmmakers adapting novels I love to the screen (for evidence, see everything I’ve ever written on the Harry Potter films). However, I think Gary Ross does a great job with this first installation of the series. The beginning does feel a little rushed to me, as is the case with most book-to-film adaptations. Granted, there is a tremendous amount of information to cover – Katniss’ backstory, her friendship with Gale, and the political landscape of Panem, just for starters – so I have a hard time getting into a snit over it. There’s only so much they can explain with voice over, text panes, or obvious exposition-centric dialogue, so some things are going to be left out in the hopes that they can be inferred or explained later in the film. I’m not sure, though, how easy the beginning of the film is to understand for someone who hadn’t read the book.

            One thing I loved, oddly enough, were all the “extras” they added in during the Games themselves. So much of the commentary on the “action” was incredibly helpful in adding details and supplementing the audience’s knowledge in a way that doesn’t feel intrusive or too obvious. For one, it helps the audience fill in information about the other Tributes’ personalities and actions during the Games that Katniss was only able to infer. And, to be honest, the first part of the Games is Katniss doing a whole lot of nothing, and having that commentary served as a nice break to help move things along. Also, I think showing some of what was going on in the Districts – especially in District 11 after Rue died – was incredibly helpful in setting the stage for Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

            I think my favorite thing about this adaptation was that you didn’t only see the world through Katniss. There are so many things going on that are bigger than Katniss’ struggles in the Arena, and it was nice to pull away from that just a bit to get an idea of the bigger picture. I especially loved seeing how much control the Gamemakers had. In the books, you know that everything is controlled within the Arena (and if you had any doubts, Catching Fire should have erased them), but seeing the Gamemaker’s command center makes it so much more real and terrifying. It makes it completely obvious that Katniss wasn’t really supposed to survive that fire or her encounter afterwards with the Careers. Their level of control in the Arena really underscores that it’s not really a “game”, and you can’t get “lucky”. While luck certainly does play into it, being strong, talented with a weapon, and having a will to survive won’t always get you out of the Arena alive. If the Gamemakers don’t want you to win, you won’t – unless, of course, you’re Katniss and give a big, hearty “screw you” to the Gamemakers.

            In addition to being a really neat adaptation that, I think, adds to the story rather than detracting from it, I was totally impressed with the cast. So many of those actors were absolutely perfect for their parts – it was awesome! I’ve got to say, though, that my favorites were three “minor” characters – Effie, Cinna, and Caesar Flickerman. Elizabeth Banks did such a wonderful job with Effie by making the character feel like she could be real. In reading the series, Effie was sort of a caricature for much of the first book because that’s how Katniss sees her. Banks’ portrayal, though, balances the crazy Capital affectations with the fact that Effie is a real person with real feelings that ought to be considered. I will admit, I was a little hesitant about casting Lenny Kravitz as Cinna, but I think he performed brilliantly. Cinna was everything I had wanted – kind, fair, and incredibly caring, even knowing that he probably wouldn’t see Katniss come out of the Arena alive. And, finally, Stanley freaking Tucci. I love the Tucc more than I can possibly explain, and I was over the moon excited about this casting decision. What I love about Tucci’s Flickerman is that you could tell Caesar was putting on a show, but you could also tell that he genuinely cared about the Tributes. All in all, great casting choices.

            So what’s left to talk about – oh, right, Katniss and Peeta. I’ve never really made my outright dislike of Peeta a secret, so I wasn’t expecting my opinion to be changed because of the film. While I still really do not like Peeta, I at least believed the Peeta in the film. I just have a really hard time believing that book-Peeta can be a real person – his responses to everything just seemed to perfect. Plus, I find it incredibly unlikely that any 16-year old boy could love a girl that much when he’s never really talked to her. It’s like Peeta loved the idea of Katniss, and when he finally got to know her, all of those flaws that ought to have pushed him away actually drew him closer to her, which I never really understood. Maybe Katniss and Gale had to grow up faster because they were taking care of their families, but comparatively, Peeta had it easy.

Movie-Peeta, though, I believed in. He was awkward and unsure of himself, just like a 16-year old should be. I think the reason that Peeta bothered me less in the film is because the filmmakers wisely chose not to make the entire film a love story. Yes, Katniss and Peeta’s “relationship” is important to the plot, but it’s not the entire focus, especially for Katniss. She barely gives Peeta’s feelings for her a second thought until she realizes there’s a way they could both win the Games. It’s only after the announcement that Katniss really tries to fake being in love with Peeta, and it’s that fake emotion that she counts on to save her life after the Games. By not focusing too much on the love story, I think Gary Ross comes out with a better movie. The Hunger Games is not Twilight with archery – it’s a fundamentally different story about standing up for what is right and fighting for freedom.

My biggest concern, though, with Katniss and Peeta’s “relationship” is that I don’t know how the citizens of the Capitol bought their star-crossed lover’s routine, because I sure didn’t. Even knowing that Katniss was just acting, I still didn’t really see anything that screamed “love story” to me (not that I’m complaining!). I also wish they’d more clearly addressed Katniss’s feelings towards Peeta at the end. It’s not just that Katniss was doing what she had to in order to save their lives – it’s that Katniss herself is confused about how she feels. It’s clear she cares for Peeta, but she also cares deeply for Gale. I think sidestepping the issue does a disservice to Catching Fire, since so much of the beginning of that novel hinges on Peeta not understanding Katniss’s feelings. Overall, though, I was incredibly happy with the adaptation, and not nearly as critical as I’d been expecting, which was a nice change of pace for me.

Mischief Managed,

Slim Pearl Silver-Feather

Currently Reading: Quarantine: The Loners, by Lex Thomas

Books Read in 2012: 26

Top 5...Wednesday: Horror Books

I know Halloween seems like it’s forever away, but Pumpkins at the Park begins in just over three weeks. For me, this means that 50 to 90 hour workweeks start next week and won’t stop until I get through the event. That being said, after this week, I’m going to need to take a hiatus until the first week in November. I have a few book discussion posts ready to go, and I’ll post those over the next month or so, but I won’t have ANY time to write new content.

So for this last Top 5 Tuesday Wednesday before my break, I thought I’d give you my Favorite Horror Books!

1.     The Shining, Stephen King

I was bound and determined to choose only one Stephen King book for this list (which wasn’t easy), but The Shining HAD to be my choice – it’s one of my favorite books of all time and my favorite King book (if you don’t count any of the Dark Tower books, anyway). I love the story of Jack Torrance, a man slowly driven insane by otherworldly forces. Everyone knows the story thanks to Stanley Kubrick’s film, but the novel is so much better (isn’t that always the case?). Jack Torrance is not a great man, but the horrible things that happen to him at the Overlook Hotel aren’t really his fault. I mean, his alcoholism and temper force his family to move to Colorado, but the spirits within the hotel take over Jack so completely that at the end, Danny doesn’t even recognize Jack as his father anymore. Jack Torrance is not a man driven insane, per se. Rather, he’s a man being acted upon and influenced by his surroundings with horrifying results.

2.     The Silence of the Lambs, Thomas Harris

I’ve got to say it: I like Red Dragon better as a story, but I think The Silence of the Lambs makes for a better horror novel. There are so many good horrific things in this book (I mean, really. The skinsuit? Try not to let that one get to you), but the best thing that Thomas Harris gives us is Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Hannibal Lecter is the consummate gentleman, right up until he eats your face off. And that’s what is so damn unsettling about him – he’s smart, cultured, and refined, but a complete psychopath at the same time. Harris introduces us to Lecter in Red Dragon, published some 7 years previously. And while The Silence of the Lambs follows a very similar approach (in both novels, Dr. Lecter is creepy as hell and helps an FBI Agent/trainee catch a serial killer), it doesn’t feel like a rinse and repeat of Harris’s earlier novel. Oh, and also, MOTHS. If anyone ever murders and skinsuits me, PLEASE don’t shove a moth down my throat. Let’s not add insult to injury.

3.     The Exorcist, William Peter Blatty

I first read this book when I was in elementary school – I know, that’s not normal – and it scared the hell out of me. That was also back when I was convinced demonic possession was a real thing, so that might have contributed to my initial reaction. At any rate, the story of the possession and exorcism of Regan MacNeil is as terrifying as it is shocking. Not only is Blatty’s description of Regan’s physical decay stomach-churning, but the things this little girl says and does while possessed are downright unsettling (like crab-walking down the stairs, masturbating with a crucifix, and using every manner of swear word known to man). When an author is able to leave readers with those kinds of images – unpleasant though they may be – he’s done his job well.

4.     The Amityville Horror, Jay Anson

I can still remember the first time I read this book. I was in 6^th grade and couldn’t sleep, so I pulled it off my “to read” shelf (what were my parents thinking?) and stayed up half the night reading. And then I stayed up the other half of the night too scared to sleep, since the book is about a freaking possessed house where all sorts of weird shit happens. The thing that’s stuck with me the most is one of the Lutz kids’ imaginary friends – a pig-like demon named Jodie with glowing red eyes (which, by the way, I convinced myself I could see through my bedroom window). At any rate, the things that happen to the Lutz family are deeply unsettling, especially because some of those things do happen in real life (odd whiffs of perfume or thinking you’ve heard a door slam).

5.     The Pillowman, Martin McDonagh

As I think I mentioned previously, this is the only play to ever give me nightmares (and pretty much nothing has scared me enough to give me nightmares in the last 10 or so years). The thing that makes The Pillowman so scary is the imagery McDonagh uses. Events are described in gory detail, but it doesn’t come across the same way a horror novel by, say Stephen King would. King (and lots of other great horror writers) love to use detail in describing scenes, which is fantastic for providing the reader with a more authentic experience. With a play, though, the author can’t spend a lot of time describing things unless the characters are using descriptive dialogue. The stories Katurian and others tell during the course of the play are far more chilling than almost anything I’ve ever read, partially because they evoke such strong visuals, even though nothing gory is being directly depicted. It’s hard to explain, but it’s almost like the horror gets in your head and refuses to go away, making it all the more terrifying.

Alright, folks, on that cheery note, it’s time for me to take a Top 5 Tuesday Wednesday Some Day break for a few weeks. I’ll be back after Pumpkins, but, as always, leave your responses in the comments!

Mischief Managed,

Slim Pearl Silver-Feather

Currently Reading: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Books Read in 2012: 23

Top 5 Tuesday: Children's Books

If you’ve been following this blog for very long, you’ll realize that my taste in books is broad and multi-faceted. I love to read all sorts of things, but this week, I’m going to focus on somewhat of a “specialty” area – children’s books!

1.     The Lorax, Dr. Seuss

You knew this was going to be #1, right? I love, love, love The Lorax! So much so, in fact, that I’m going to be the Lorax for Halloween. While this was definitely one of my favorite books growing up, my deep and unending love for The Lorax only really developed once I became a zoo educator. This book is so amazing for showing kids the environmental consequences of our actions, and that one person’s drive for change really can make a difference. I also love talking with kids about the Once-ler – how he wasn’t really a bad person, just someone who made bad decisions (and his remorse is his redeeming quality, of course). And there’s the part where I have the entire book memorized (don’t tempt me or I’ll tell you the whole story). Besides, how could you not love a book that has this message: “unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better – it’s not.”

2.     The Serendipity Series, Stephen Cosgrove

This was my favorite book series when I was a kid, and I still have all of them in my parents’ basement. Each book (like most children’s books) contains a positive message for kids wrapped in an easy to read story about an animal or other creature. More than anything else, I love the illustrations – they’re just so cute and mostly realistic (except for the mythical creatures, of course). My personal favorite books in the series are Muffin Muncher (about a poor town famous for muffin making visited by a muffin-hungry dragon), Fanny (about a 3-legged farm cat who befriends a puppy named Ruby), Banglee (in which the titular character tries to convince his fellow kritters to abandon their messy ways before the dreaded Grunk arrives to punish them), and Rhubarb (a puppy who gets tuckered out when all of her friends want to play with her at the same time).

3.     Are You My Mother?, PD Eastman

This is another of my favorites from when I was a little girl. Mostly, I just loved the way my mom read it to me, complete with giggle-scream inducing “SNORT” noises. As an adult, though, I actually use this book for education programs for preschoolers. It’s a great way to talk about how animal moms take care of their babies and to open up dialogues about how you know your mom is your mom. Plus, reading it to kids is super fun, especially when they answer the oft repeated “are you my mother?” or when they laugh hysterically at the baby bird thinking a plane or boat could be his mother. I also love that Serenity looks almost exactly like the kitten in the book, so sometimes when she’s being quiet, I describe her as “the kitten who looked and looked but did not say a thing.”

4.     The Little Bear series, Else Holmelund Minarik

This book series was one read to me by my grandparents. My favorite is definitely Little Bear’s Visit, in which Little Bear goes to visit Grandmother and Grandfather Bear. Little Bear’s grandparents reminded me a lot of my own (my grandparents were my childcare when I was little because both of my parents worked). I love the story of “Mother Bear’s Robin”, where she finds a lost baby robin, raises it, and has to let it go when it years to fly free as an adult. However, the part that is most memorable for me is Grandfather Bear’s “Goblin Story” about a scaredy-cat goblin who jumps out of his own shoes that chase him.

5.     Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy, Lynley Dodd

This is another book that I had at my grandparents’ house that they read me quite often. It’s a pretty simple story about a scruffy little dog named Hairy Maclary and his other canine friends as they encounter Hairy’s arch-nemesis, Scarface Claw the cat. The story is told in rhyming verse, which lends itself to easy memorization, which is exactly what I did when I was little. This was one of the first books I can remember memorizing (though my parents tell me that I learned to read by memorizing my bedtime stories), and I think it is super cute.

Well, there you have it! If you have a Top 5 suggestion, leave it in the comments!

Mischief Managed,

Slim Pearl Silver-Feather

Currently Reading: Nothing – catching up on blogs and other life stuff

Books Read in 2012: 23

Top 5 Tuesday: Non-Human Characters

Sorry about missing last week’s Top 5 Tuesday – I had some work stuff come up that kept me busier than expected. But I’m back this week with a fun (I hope) topic – my favorite non-human characters.

1.     Oy of Midworld, from The Dark Tower by Stephen King

This one was a pretty obvious choice, if I do say so myself. This little billy-bumbler bounced in to Roland’s ka-tet and stole my heart. He, more than any other member of the tet, is able to bring a modicum of lightheartedness and innocence to King’s story. Rather than being a very smart pet, Oy displays an amazing capacity to learn, emote, and interact with his human friends, especially Jake. And even though King made me read about the many, many horrible things that happened to characters I loved, what happens, in the end, with Oy, touched me more deeply than almost anything I’ve ever read. (No spoilers, Jason – you’re welcome!)

2.     Dobby the house elf, from the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

You guys, I love Dobby so much I almost can’t stand it. Even if his methods are sometimes questionable (sealing Platform 9 ¾, enchanting a bludger to nearly bludgeon Harry to death, etc), his heart is completely in the right place. Try to find a more loyal friend than Dobby in the Potterverse. Can you? I mean, Dobby goes against everything in his genetic legacy to warn Harry about the dangers facing him in Chamber of Secrets and puts his life at risk to save Harry and his friends from Malfoy Manner in Deathly Hallows. Along the way, Dobby helps Harry survive the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, helps Dumbledore’s Army find a practice room, and proves himself as loyal as any Order of the Phoenix member. And maybe that’s why Dobby’s death comes as such an emotional blow – in a way, Dobby was more human (for sure more humane) than so many of the wizards we met, including non Death Eaters.

3.     Bartimaeus the djinni, from the Bartimaeus Sequence by Jonathan Stroud

Ever since reading the first Bartimaeus book, The Amulet of Samarkand, in Karen’s class my senior year, I was a huge fan of Bartimaeus. Sure, he’s an abrasive, mouthy braggart, but there’s something endearing about him. I love that he claims to have no regard for human life, but has his feelings betray him more than once. Bartimaeus has no shortage of faults (including an enormous ego), but he does, in the end, do the right thing. Being in the service of Nathaniel has a tremendous impact on both magician and djinni. By the end of Ptolomey’s Gate, the two come to a much deeper understanding of each other’s character. Even if Nathaniel’s sacrifice doesn’t wholly restore Bartimaeus’ faith in the human race, it goes a long way in repairing what was done to him.

4.     Adrian Ivashkov from the Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series’ by Richelle Mead

Okay, Sierra, you win. Sort of. Adrian Ivashkov is a carefree party boy spirit-using Moroi (good vampire) we meet in Frostbite, the second of Mead’s Vampire Academy novels. Over the course of that series and in the Bloodlines sequence (which isn’t done yet), Adrian’s character develops better than almost any other character Mead writes. By the end of the Vampire Academy series, I feel for Adrian, I really do. What happens to him is absolutely not fair and completely heartbreaking. At the same time, though, I can’t possibly side with anyone against Dimitri, ever, so that’s where my loyalty lies. Over the course of the first two Bloodlines novels (the third comes out in February!), I have come to possibly see why someone could be drawn to Adrian. Yes, he can be an incredibly frustrating, but he’s so passionate and caring that it’s almost surprising. So while he’s no Dimitri, Adrian is pretty freaking awesome.

5.     Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet, from Stargate

Okay, okay, he’s not exactly a character from literature or anything, but I had to include my favorite little grey dude. The thing about Thor (and all the Asgard, really), is that he actually cares about the fate of humanity. We meet so many other advanced alien races over the course of the Stargate franchise that either want to enslave or use humans (like the Goa’uld or the Wraith) or don’t really care what happens to them (like those good for nothing Ancients). Thor recognizes the value of the Earthlings and develops relationships with the members of SG1. Plus, he shows up and gives Kinsey what for, which makes him more badass than anyone ever.

So there you have it! Have something you want me to write about? Suggest it in the comments!

Mischief Managed,

Slim Pearl Silver-Feather

Currently Reading: Nothing – in between books at the moment

Books Read in 2012: 22

Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver

Synopsis: High school senior Samantha Kingston has the perfect life. She’s incredibly popular, has a ton of friends, and a popular, handsome boyfriend. Her life seems too bood to be true – until February 12^th, when Sam and her three best friends get into a fatal car accident. Only for Sam, it’s not quite fatal. She wakes up the next morning, reliving the last day of her life seven times, trying to find a way to put things right.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Discussion Points: The thing that struck me the most while reading this novel is the way Oliver characterizes her protagonist. It’s kind of a Lit 101 thought, but the protagonist doesn’t have to be likeable and, in fact, some of the most interesting novels I’ve read follow a distinctly unlikeable protagonist. Sam isn’t exactly unlikeable, but she definitely isn’t a “good” person, which I thought was a really interesting approach for Oliver to take, especially since she uses Sam as a first person narrator. It’s a lot easier for a reader to deal with an unlikeable protagonist in the third person, especially since the third person narrator often helps shape your opinion of the protagonist. Take Eddie in The Dark Tower, for example. I’m not crazy about him as a character (which makes me glad that he’s not the only protagonist through which King focalizes), but he’s a lot easier to deal with since I’m not directly in his head. When you’re completely within a character through first person narration, the reader has to work a lot harder to view their actions objectively and form your own opinion.

            Which brings me to Sam’s character. At the start of the novel, she’s not a very likeable person. After all, she’s a “mean girl” – a rule-breaking, smoking, drinking, bullying bitch. Granted, Lindsay, Sam’s best friend, is worse, but Sam isn’t blameless. As much as she wants to see herself as a good person, she still has plenty of faults. However, I think that in giving us a protagonist that isn’t even close to perfect, Oliver created someone a whole lot more relatable to teenage readers. If the lesson that Oliver wants to drive home is that change and redemption are possible, no matter what mistakes you’ve made, then starting with a perfect protagonist wouldn’t work. Oliver needs to make Sam a little dirtier – a little more like “us” – to make her eventual redemption all that more powerful.

            Across the novel, Sam grows and changes so much, and opens herself up to seeing the bigger picture. For so long, she’s fixated on trying to save herself, that she looses sight of what’s most important – it’s not always about her. Sam thinks that if she can put everything “just right” by making all the right choices and keeping everyone safe, that she’ll be granted a reprieve and get to continue on with her life. In the end, though, Sam realizes that it was never about saving herself. This whole journey was about leaving behind a better world for her friends. Reliving that last day of her life, Sam begins to appreciate the things she never noticed before, and realizes that those people she thought were “beneath” her were really the heroes all along. Samantha Kingston proves that you can always make amends, even if it means giving up your own selfish desires. Of course, Oliver’s point isn’t that you should jump in front of a moving car to save the unpopular kids, but that you should be willing enough to step outside of yourself and consider others instead of putting yourself first.

Mischief Managed,

Slim Pearl Silver-Feather

Currently Reading: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Books Read in 2012: 21

Top 5 Tuesday: Characters I Hate (from things I love)

I love a lot of things – almost like my heart pumps love instead of blood. And the things I love, well, I love them a lot, which results in me getting a tad bit…obsessive...over some things. But even though I’m walking around with this huge love-heart bursting with happiness over my favorite things, you just can’t like everyone you meet. Which brings me to today’s Top 5 Tuesday – characters I hate from things I love.

Before I get started, here’s a (hopefully) brief explanation of the criteria I used in making my selections. None of these characters are “bad guys”. In fact, they’re all protagonists, even if they’re not the lead character in their work. Also, I couldn’t just limit myself to books with this one, because my dislike of certain characters doesn’t respect boundaries between fictional media. Oh, and I ought to mention that for all of these characters, my dislike is fairly irrational (or, according to my loving husband, completely irrational and I’m certifiably insane).

So, intrepid explorers, read on to discover who I hate!

1.     Peeta Mellark (from The Hunger Games)

Yes, you read that right, folks. The character I dislike the most out of all the (otherwise totally normal and likeable) fictional characters is Peeta. Seriously, though, I just can’t wrap my head around a 16-year old kid that is so in love with a girl (that he’s too afraid to talk to!) that he’s willing to risk his life for her. I just can’t do it. I don’t care that he appears to be sincere, I just don’t believe it. I do feel bad for him – the Capitol did make his brain their very own neural playground, after all, but that doesn’t mean I have to like him. From the very beginning, I wasn’t a Peeta fan at all, which no one apparently understands. I don’t think he’s right for Katniss (actually, I don’t think anyone’s right for Katniss, but that’s a story for another day), and I don’t understand people holding up to this ideal of what you should look for in a boyfriend. Sorry, but I don’t want someone willing to lay down their life for me. I want someone willing to listen to me (which Peeta doesn’t do) and be my friend (which Peeta definitely is not).

2.     Ron Weasley (from Harry Potter)

Peeta just barely edged Ron out on this one, because I really, really dislike Ron Weasley. I think he’s annoying, useless, and an incredibly horrible friend. Look, I understand why Ron is the way he is – you definitely get enough of the Weasley family dynamic to understand that Molly and Arthur had more kids than they were able to pay attention to – but I’m still annoyed by him. What does Ron really bring to the “golden trio”? Not a whole lot, if we’re being honest. He isn’t the best at spells (that’s Hermione), the smartest (Hermione again), or bravest (Harry, this time). He’s not really good at anything, which isn’t a problem by itself. On Buffy, for example, Xander is pretty useless, but he’s at least a supportive ally. Ron completely abandons Harry – twice! – for stupid, selfish, jealous reasons. I mean, he leaves Harry and Hermione in Deathly Hallows because he basically misunderstands the mission (yes, I KNOW there was a Horcrux involved, but really, it just amplified Ron’s already crappy feelings). Ok, stopping there, because my Ron-fueled anger could rage for days.

3.     Vala Mal Doran (from Stargate)

Here’s the thing - I really wanted to like Vala. I think she’s hilarious in Prometheus Unbound and I LOVE Claudia Black (I’m one of perhaps 18 people that adored Farscape), but when Vala became a series regular, I just hated her. Honestly, I would almost have a physical reaction every time she was on screen. It’s not that I don’t feel bad for the things she’s gone through, but there’s just something about her that really bugs the hell out of me. To be sure, she does grow a lot over the course of her stay on SG1, and she becomes a much better person because of her time at the SGC. However, you don’t have to like someone to recognize an excellent character arc, and I think Vala’s got to be one of those cases for me.

4.     Rory (Williams) Pond (from Doctor Who)

You know, Rory is genuinely likeable. He’s funny, loyal, and really cares about looking out for Amy’s safety. However, kind of like with Vala, there’s just something about him that I don’t particularly care for. He’s like a puppy, a sad, sad, puppy who wants to go for a walk (i.e. travel with Amy and the Doctor), but when he gets outside, he realizes that the world is really scary. The end of series 6 has started to change my opinion (a bit) about him, but I don’t know that Rory really fits in as a companion. And, for that matter, I don’t know that he’s a good fit for Amy. They do balance each other out quite a bit, but something about that dynamic just doesn’t work for me.

5.     Eddie Dean (from The Dark Tower)

This is the only character on this list that I truly have no explanation for disliking. Sure, he starts off as kind of a bastard, but by the end of the series, Eddie Dean has really matured into a hero. Roland even trusts him more than the rest of the ka-tet, saying more than once that if he (Roland) should fall, Eddie would be the one to lead Susannah, Jake, and Oy on towards the Tower. He loves his wife, wants to protect the other members of his ka-tet, and really comes to believe in Roland’s quest. All around, he’s a pretty great guy. However, I just can’t get into him as a character. He just really bothers me.

Ok, there you have it. Characters that are otherwise likeable that I just can’t stand. Disagree with me? That’s totally fine (but please be prepared to provide examples of why I should care about Peeta or Ron).

Mischief Managed,

Slim Pearl Silver-Feather

Currently Reading: Blood Promise, Richelle Mead (I’m kind of slow these days, aren’t I?)

Books Read in 2012: 21

Top 5 Tuesday: Female Characters

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Hopefully this week I’ll get back to posting book reviews (I have three that are done), but I’ve been forgetting the last few weeks, so we’ll see how that goes.

For this week’s Top 5 Tuesday, I decided to do a spin-off of last week’s. A bunch of people gave me some flack about making my top 5 characters all male, so this week I’m going to show my love for the ladies with my 5 favorite female characters!

1.     Hermione Granger (from the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling)

Hermione is one of those characters that reminds me so much of myself it’s almost frightening. Each time I re-read the series, I find myself identifying more and more with the shy, intelligent, ultra-organized, slightly neurotic bookworm. We both love libraries, studying, and learning. She got a Time Turner her third year to take more classes – something I TOTALLY would have done! I mean, this is the girl who’s boggart in her third year Defense Against the Dark Arts Final was Professor McGonagall telling her she’d failed everything (I still have “oh my God it’s the final and I forgot to go to class all semester” dreams three years out of college). She’s also an incredibly strong person, standing up for what she believes in with little regard to other people’s opinions (SPEW is an excellent example). Her devotion to Harry – especially during Deathly Hallows when she has to choose between Ron and her mission – is phenomenal.

2.     Rose Hathaway (from the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead)

I like Rose so much because she, like Hermione, reminds me of myself, only to a lesser extent. I’ve definitely been known to take the “punch first, ask questions later” approach to problem solving, though not as much as I’ve grown older (thankfully!). Rose is also incredibly protective of Lissa, and reading through the series for the first time, their relationship reminded me a lot of my relationship with my best friend. Though, obviously, I don’t have a direct connection into her mind. And Alyssa’s not a vampire, but I digress. The point is that I admire how far Rose is willing to go to protect those she loves like Lissa and Dimitri. And it takes an exceptionally strong person to have gone through some of the things Rose has (let’s take all of Blood Promise as one big example), a kind of emotional strength I can’t help but admire.

3.     Katniss Everdeen (from The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins)

Katniss is so great because she is an incredibly strong female role model, even though she definitely has her weaknesses. But she’s not great despite those flaws, but because of them. Having flaws – being emotionally unavailable, for one – makes her much more realistic and more relatable. She’s not perfect, but she is the picture of strength and survival, whatever the cost (almost, anyway). Despite what most people think, The Hunger Games isn’t about whether Katniss should choose Peeta or Gale. It’s about people standing up for what is right and choosing to fight back rather than to accept the lot they’re dealt. When Katniss forces the Capitol to accept two victors, she may not mean to, but she starts a revolution. What Katniss does sparks something in people – it makes them realize that they deserve better.

4.     Éowyn (from the Lord of the Rings series by JRR Tolkien)

Éowyn is one of those characters that is easy to overlook, which is a specialty of mine when it comes to liking characters (take Walter from Stargate for example – mega bonus points if you can even tell me who he is). She, like the other women that made this list is incredibly strong and principled, two traits I admire in both real people and fictional characters. Éowyn definitely takes her heritage seriously, but she also feels that she has more to offer her uncle, King Theoden, and the people of Rohan than a life at Edoras can give her. She longs to go into battle – so much so that she disguises herself as a man in order to fight. And once she gets to the battle, she’s a total badass, killing (with Merry’s help) the Witch-king and his scary dragon-horse. I love, also, that Éowyn’s is, ultimately, a love story, but she doesn’t meet her prince (literally and figuratively) until her badassery is over and done with. Éowyn didn’t ride into battle for the love of a man, but because she felt she owed it to her people, which makes her even more awesome in my eyes.

5.     Professor Minerva McGonagall (from the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling)

I love Minerva McGonagall so much. There are so many great qualities about her – she’s an amazing teacher, a spectacularly talented witch, and cares so much for the students in Gryffindor house. I admired her throughout much of the Harry Potter series, but she kills me in Deathly Hallows every time. Everything she says to Harry after his return to Hogwarts at the end is just so perfect, and I love that she’s the one who cries out the loudest at Harry’s “death”. Minerva McGonagall isn’t just a teacher – she’s an incredibly kind and caring woman. Also, Dame Maggie Smith’s portrayal of her is so spot-on I almost can’t handle it.

So there you have it – proof that I swing both ways when it comes to characters I like. Granted, I like the dudes I listed last week more, but these women have a lot to offer as well. And, on the whole, they’re probably better people than my actual favorites, so what does that say about me?

Mischief Managed,

Slim Pearl Silver-Feather

Currently Reading: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Books Read in 2012: 20