First off, I’m very pleased to report that after last month’s You Tell Me wherein I sheepishly admitted I had never read LORD OF THE RINGS: this has now been rectified. I even started with The Hobbit. Loved them! That Tolkien guy was a pretty good writer in case you haven’t heard.
Now then. This week’s You Tell Me is inspired by a question Robin asked in the Forums: which literary character do you have a crush on?
Since it was #towelday yesterday, I’ll go with teenage Nathan’s choice: Trillian from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
What about you?
Fawn Neun says
Um… "Death" from the Discworld series and Raistlin Majere from Dragonlance… because apparently I have something for impossible, unattainable relationships.
Oh, and yeah, I always crush on my own characters. Otherwise, what's the point?
Anonymous says
Phèdre nó Delaunay de Montrève from Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel series.
TracyM. says
If loving Edward is wrong, then I don't want to be right.
Before him it was Adam Trask from East of Eden.
Veronica Barton-Dean says
Zebylon Mayhew for True Blue by LuAnn Rice. He honestly knew that the choices he made in his past cost him the love of his life. It was highly impressive when years later he attempts to right them and calls out all the stops. Not to mention he is an astronaut.
Laura Marcella says
Ranger!!! He's from Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.
Nato says
Rosa Saks in her bohemian, Luna Moth days in THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER AND CLAY.
ginny martyn says
Captain Wentworth-Persuasion
Atticus Finch- TKM
Penn Cage- The Quiet Game (greg iles)
Melissa says
Teddy Kent from LM Montgomery's "Emily" series.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Byrd_Starr
I first read this series when I was 11 or so and fell hard for Teddy. I even wanted to name my son after him, but my husband quickly put the kibosh on that idea!
K. E. Carson says
Alex Fuentes from Perfect Chemistry. Hah. Still a teenager here. (Well, not technically.)
Keeks says
I just finished "Lovestruck Summer" by Melissa Walker. Russ is so crush-worthy!!
Clare WB says
Atticus Finch, but I also had a forever crush on Gregory Peck. The Bronte girls hooked me on Heathcliff and Mr. Rochester in my early teens. When I finally got hold of a copy of "Lady Chatterley…" I fell for her groundskeeper.
Danielle Pisors says
Morelli from the Stephanie Plum Series. He's a guilty pleasure. I love me some summer pulp!
Cassandra says
Nobody now, but when I was 14 —
Korak, son of Tarzan.
Then Faramir.
From the BOOKS, please, in all cases.
Gina says
I'll add to the votes for Sydney Carton. (How many other women do you know who have an "I (Heart) Sydney Carton" bumper sticker on their car? 🙂 ) Also Arthur Clennam from "Little Dorrit." And Lord Peter Wimsey. And many more.
David Kubicek says
Katniss from The Hunger Games.
Janet says
K – read this in my little Blogger window and thought it said "You Tell Me: Which Literary Agent Do You Totally Have a Crush On?" and thought – 'Like, everyone will say Nathan!' since it's your blog and all.
No, Literary Character! That makes more sense (unless you're having real downer day, Nathan, and need to feel the love).
Jondalar in Jean Auel's The Valley of the Horses – sequel to Clan of the Cave Bear.
The Chairman in Arthur Golden's Memoir of a Geisha.
Robert Kincaid in Robert James Waller's The Bridges of Madison County.
…to name a few. If done right, I should have a crush on the hero of every book I read. Right?
Disgruntled Bear says
Trevor from MINDER.
Mr. Darcy from PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.
Jacob from TWILIGHT.
Deniz Bevan says
What about, which literary couples do you love? I'd say:
Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley
Sam Gamgee and Rose Cotton
Faramir of Gondor and Eowyn of the Rohirrim
Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall
Penelope and David (from Friends and Lovers by Helen MacInnes)
nimarii says
Gale definitely has more sex appeal than Peeta! Also crushed on John Snow from A Game of Thrones, Remus Lupin, and of course, Mr. Darcy.
Can't get enough of the strong silent types 🙂
Becca says
You know, not many recently (except one of my own.) But I do enjoy some minor characters. Jules from Down a Dark Hall and Jeff from Stranger With My Face.
There's really no one I've been swooning over lately. Although I'll admit, for a time, (a very short time) I was an Edward fan.
Watch, I'll find the guy weeks after this post gets old.
Madeleine says
Peeta from THE HUNGER GAMES.
Well, Jace from THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS, too, but he needs to grow up a bit. 😀
JSEE says
For all of you who love Mr. Darcy, Gilbert Blythe, Rhett Butler and Jamie Fraser as much as I do, there is no cooler literary figure than Francis Crawford of Lymond (Dorothy Dunnett's six book seried the Lymond Chronicles, Book One entitled Game of Kings). He takes the cake, and I would take him over all the rest combined.
Sarah -in- USA says
Pierre Bezoukhov in War and Peace.
Denise says
Jamie Fraser – Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
Mr. Darcy – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
George Emerson- A Room with a View by EM Forster
Harry Dresden- The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher
Rhett Butler- Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Sherlock Holmes- series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Aragorn- LOTR by Tolkien (tho technically, I've never read the books)
Westley- The Princess Bride by William Goldman
(also never read the book)
Hamlet- by Shakespeare
Vanyel- The Last Herald Mage Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey
And if comic books count as literary, definitely add in Batman and Wonder Woman.
Stacey2070 says
Most definitely Jamie Fraser. Meow.
And a nod to Mr. Darcy (only if he looks like Colin Firth). 🙂
Anonymous says
Oh good, I'm not the only one with this affliction. Currently: Mr Darcy, Mr Thornton from North and South, Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games, and Marcus from The Mark of the Lion
Jaime says
Definitely Jamie Fraser 🙂
Linda C. McCabe says
Sirius Black from the Harry Potter series.
Sirius is Dead!Sexy.
Katy says
I'm sorry, out of 330 comments, only 5 people mentioned Edward from Twilight?
You people are lying through your teeth.
Clarity says
The character I adore most would be Gatsby.
He loved completely and gave it all, what more could a girl want? Yes, definitely him.
A Writer from India says
Henry Louis Vivian Derozio was my first crush in school. Also Rupert Brooke, forever. Angelic poets who died young, they are close to literary characters…
Laurie from Little Women, though I absolutely hated it when he replaced Jo with Amy.
Tom Tulliver. And David Copperfield and Pip, and I had a soft corner for Edgar Linton – that perfect gentleman, could never understand people's fascination for Heathcliff. Or haughty Mr. Darcy.
In schooldays, I had a big crush on the idealistic heroes in the novels of Rabindranath Tagore and Sarath Chandra Chatterjee – Gora and Bihari among others.
Steve says
Cordelia Naismith Vorkosigan from Lois McMaster Bujold's Mikes Vorkosigan series.
She is totally my hero and I will love her forever.
I was completely dissatisfied with the woman Miles eventually marries, because while she is admirable in her own right, she is a poor comparison to Miles' mother Cordelia.
Cordelia is all woman and more of a "man" than most of those found walking the streets in our own time and place.
-Steve
Lisa C. says
Hile Troy from The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.
Allanon from The Sword of Shannara.
Lupin from Harry Potter.
And if we're going to talk Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, I'm going for Christopher Saxton.
Alyssa says
Jonathan Strange!!! And I was madly in love with Arwen in LOTR for many years. Still am, a little. 🙂
Anonymous says
Zane from Pretties
Po from Graceling
Legolas from LOTR
Draco Malfoy
Anonymous says
Quinn from the Riley series by Keri Arthur. Now *there's* a hot vampire.
Mi says
EASY! I have a crush on Mr Darcy. There's a reason why he's basically the archetypal quiet, mysterious, broody guy that girls seem to love to hate.
But I'd say that I have a few page-prone hotties I just can't get enough of.
Jenna says
I think the most long-lasting, penetrating tales *must* have characters that people can crush on – that's why people still read Jane Austen! You have to be able to crush along with the characters and feel their love and agony.
I totally understand all the Edward Cullen lovers, just because of the way the books were written – Bella adores him, so the reader must also.
I am ruined for all other men after Mr. Spock.
Mal Reynolds is a win, both as character and as Nathan Fillion (meow).
From the Harry Potter series, Cedric Diggory, even before RPatz. And yes, Severus Snape.
Lisbeth Salander.
Travis in Watchers by Dean Koontz.
I crush on Tas from the Dragonlance Saga, which freaks people out – they think I like wrinkled kleptomaniac midgets, but in reality it's his zeal for life, his love and loyalty, and his sense of humor.
I'm sure I'm forgetting many, but they're there. I definitely crush on my characters I'm writing. Of course, I invented them and know how they look! 😀 I don't think anyone needs proof that Anne Rice was in love with Lestat.
Macie says
I'm oddly comforted you posted this question! Me and my best friend in Junior High were absolutely in love with Prince Jonathan in Tamora Pierce's The Song of the Lioness Quartet series. We never told a soul because we thought no one would understand!
Lissa224 says
When I was younger my favorite was Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables. But now I have to go with Romeo and Aragorn.
Hilary says
Can I add Nat Eaton from The Witch of Blackbird Pond?
Some Screaming Fangirl says
I'd have to say Myrnin from the Morganville Vampires. I mean, I'm aware that he's a blood-sucking psychopath half the time, but the other half of the time he's such a charming and medieval soul!
Anonymous says
Hi. Enjoyed reading these posts. Have to add my list… not very "traditionally" literary… but here goes anyway…
1) At least two characters from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series… Jamie Fraser (of course!) and Lord John (William Grey) – yeah, I know, but it's a crush on a fictional (!!) character :-). I've read a LOT and these characters stay with me like no one else's…
2) Wedge Antilles – yeah, from Star Wars, but he becomes a really interesting character in the X-Wing books.
3) F'nor – dragonrider from Anne McCaffery's Pern series (dark, silent, strong, loyal type – gets me every time)
4) Daniel Jackson (Stargate SG-1) – does TV count? He's tough, he's brilliant, what's not to like? (Michael Shanks portrayal doesn't hurt either.)
5) Hawk – from Robert B Parker's Spenser series
Better stop now… this list could get huge… out of all of them… and the ones not listed… Lord John is my favorite.
Peter Dudley says
So Nathan, any chance of seeing statistics from the comment thread? Number of males/females posting, the top X number of characters with their # of votes, etc. You know… because you have nothing better to do.
Melanie Crouse says
Definitely Jace from the Mortal Instruments series. He leaves everyone else in the dust.
Anonymous says
I don't know about crush, but I could definately be attracted to Mr. Knightley from Jane Austen's book, Emma.
Toni says
Harry Dresden, hands down! He could stop by anytime… we'd just have to hide the computers. 12 books is not enough…
Ross Poldark from Winston Graham's Poldark series.
Cheryl says
I love Colonel Brandon in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY – of course, having Alan Rickman play him in the movie didn't hurt 😉
Congrats on reading THE LORD OF THE RINGS. It's interesting how some books are classics for a good reason, like LOTR, and others, you read them and go, hmmm. What do you consider the new classics? And why?
Sorry I've been emailing you back when I should have blogged – totally new to the world of blogging. Thought I'd recapture my answer to your question.
Thanks for such a great blog!
Cheryl Wolder
Deb says
Very late to this party, but I can't resist:
Peter Pan
Mr. Spock (young Leonard Nimoy, you can keep the new one)
Rochester, until I read Wide Sargasso Sea
Sherlock Holmes
Merlin!
Owldreamer says
I have to admit I have an ongoing crush with Roarke from the in Death series and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice sequel,Chance Encounters. Sigh would that it were a love affair.