Jo from Louisa M Alcott's Little Women(my favourite book) and the sequels, she is so perfectly imperfect an makes so many mistakes yet has this amazing heart that shines through everything she does and, of all the female characters I would perhaps like to see myself as, she is the only one i can honestly and proudly say I am like. Louisa Alcott wrote with such magic and charm as well that its hard to forget these books- ive read them perhaps more times than the Harry Potter series which my english teacher even had to ban me from reading in the endXD
Wilson's books were the only thing I ever seemed to read as a child, I loved them because they were not perfect characters and it taught readers a lot about the bad things in life. I think her books are often scorned on be used they are 'all the same' and 'too depressing' but they taught me about life and how sometimes unfair things happen to people and they can overcome these problems. Also when Cookie came out I was the happiest kid. The relief I felt that there was another girl that was being bullied just like me and felt all the same things gave me real hope.
Definitely! I'd love to pick up a couple of her more recent books to see how she's changed with the digital age and cyberbullying etc as concerns of kids nowadays :)
Franny from JD Salinger's Franny & Zooey has always been one of my favorite characters in fiction; I just love her. Her reaction to the Glass Family Tragedy feels the most realized to me, and the way it sets on after so many years and the interactions she has with her brothers-all so beautiful and marvelous. The scene in the bathroom in Franny is also one of the few scenes in any book that I can immediately recall and revisit again and again. Other notables, though: Kate Gompert and Madame Psychosis from Infinite Jest Sally from Mrs Dalloway and Antoinette from Wide Sargasso Sea (which any Jane Eyre lover should read, I think, because it's a beautiful postcolonial conversation with Jane Eyre told more or less from the point of view of the mad woman in the attic)
I tried to pick female characters written by female authors that have stayed with me through the years. My top five (in no particular order) would be: Anne Shirley Bridget Jones Ramona Quimby Jo March Scout Finch
Also, good luck with your dissertation! If at some point you felt like telling us about it, it would be really cool to know what you're writing about ^_^ everyone at my uni is finishing up theirs currently and it's interesting hearing about their topics (eg. someone's writing about the underlying themes of homosexuality in the Harry Potter series!) O___o so much more interesting than my degree!
I could go on and on just about my favorite female characters from the Harry Potter series! One of my favorite fictional women is Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing, because she is wonderful. Two others who jump to mind are from TV shows: Stella Gibson from The Fall and Donna Noble from Doctor Who. Both tremendously inspiring. I also have to mention Georgia Nicolson.
I agree with all of your character choices here, although I haven't read "The Color Purple" so I will put it on my reading list :) I love the characters in "Little Women", but I think that my favourite female character is Tally in Eva Ibbotson's book "The Dragonfly Pool" as she is just such an interesting and likeable character
I absolutely love these five: -Rosalee from The Secret Life Of Bees -Hermione Granger -Calpurnia Tate from The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate -Alaska from Looking For Alaska -Scout Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird
I agree with what you said about hermoine wiping her parents memory. I cried so much. Also wanted to say that I met you in Dublin and you were so nice.
100% agree with this! Hermione and Tracy are two of my favourites including a character called Lauren in Sophie McKenzie's series Girl, Missing , also Annabeth and Thalia from Percy Jackson are great female heroines (I guess the proper terms in pjo is hero but whatever rick should've used heroine more) And good luck with your dissertation! You'll ace it.
Honestly, and this isn't intentional, my favorite female character are pretty much any women that Keira Knightley played in the movie. Also, Cathy from Wuthering Heights. And Cathy from Petals in the Wind. And Astrid from White Oleander. Rose from Vampire Academy? Oh, there are too many.
I have so many i love, but definitely Hermione, she's so great (although i also adore Luna) I really love Lizzie Bennet as she is just so, so wonderful, a slightly more modern one, I love Elly from When God Was A Rabbit, i think it's because i really connect with her, although she's quite minor I do like Lily Briscoe from Virgina Woolf's To The Lighthouse, I just love her character, I also love Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing an Lucy Snow from Villette and although I've only seen the TV series, i really liked the character of Dorothea in Middlemarch (I could go on forever haha)
Hi! I love the way you talk, you are so natural. For me it's definitely Hermione, Belle (Beauty and the Beast), Jane Eyre, Catherine from the Wuthering Heights.
I love Skeeter from The Help! The movie is amazing, the book as well. But Skeeters character is just so amazing. Emma Stone did a great job in the movie
My favorite female character is Julia from 1984 by George Orwell. She's so multidimensional and fluid. She's so clever and she takes on such a leadership role in the novel.
My favourite female character from a book is Alex Bailey from The Land of Stories because she's just so brave and loving. I just think she's wonderful. She never gives up on people she loves, especially her brother Connor. And I just really love the series. :)
I'm so glad you chose Shug Avery! It was Shug that said that God doesn't like it if you pass the colour purple and don't notice it. Whether you believe in God or not, I think that noticing and enjoying the beautiful things is really what life is about!
Fuchsia Groan from the Gormenghast series is one of my favourites. Strong willed and slightly eccentric, she definitely was an interesting character to read about.
Tracy Beaker and Hermione Granger... what amazing female characters to have grown up with. I cherish them both too, and wish I had half of their spunk ❤
Skeeter is one of my favorites as well and Emma Stone did such an amazing job portraying her. For some reason I kind of knew that Hermione was going to be on this list, because why wouldn't she?! :D I really like Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice and all four sisters from Little Women. We need more stories where there's more awesome female characters in a single story.
Hermione hands down!! Also Scarlet Kensington and Marjane Satrapi, who is a real person, but I didn't know that when I read Persepolis and I was like nine haha
Rose Hathaway is definitely my favourite fictional character. She's just so funny and brilliant. Also Agatha and Penny from Carry On, both such strong females in completely different ways.
I'm absolutely sure that I have favourites but the moment I'm asked to think of them my mind empties. But this video has been a catalyst to think about it more to come up with a list.
I was a big fan of Sarah Dessen and her lead females in my teen years, especially Remy from This Lullaby. They are all just so clueless but figure things out. But Lizzie Bennet wins for me, especially the scene where she puts down Lady Catherine De Bourgh!
My favourite female character is Celaena Sardothien from the Throne of Glass series as although she is physically strong/badass, she is extremely feminine and never sacrifices that. Celaena is probably one of the most flawed, morally ambiguous yet utterly wonderful characters that I have ever read. I also love Jane and Hermione :)
This was such a great idea, and so well executed! I hope it will catch on, and that more people will share their "fictional female inspirations" with us! (I haven't seen any other booktubers who have done this, so if there are, please let me know)
I don't know if you've read this book, but the narrator of The Handmaid's Tale is one of my favourite female characters of all time, not because she's strong or does the right thing (which she can't really do anyway) but because she has so few choices but refuses to give into the norms of her society and she knows that everyone she's loved is dead or dying and she's just a confused woman in the world. Toby, from the Oryx and Crake series is a kickass woman in so many different ways. She's strong and wholeheartedly human and could have been something so much worse but she's not. Hermione, for obvious reasons but also Molly Weasly who is one of the best mothers in fiction period. She watches out for her kids and would move the world for them. She's wonderful and caring and just a wonderful person all around.
you mentioned hermione and tracy beaker, aka my favourite book characters so thank you for that! you're amazing candice, i miss seeing you in aberdeen (you probably won't remember me but i was the one who told you you were the first one out of you bribry and dodie that i subscribed to, i told you i was rereading the hunger games and that you were an older, irish version of me hahahahaha) Thank you for being absolutely incredible, i love you heaps and I hope your dissertation goes well x
I recently read "City of Stairs" by Robert Jackson Bennett, and the main character, Shara, is now definitely one of my favourite female characters. She's complex, cynical, clever, vulnerable and fairly bad-ass. :)
Yes skeeter, hermione and Tracy beaker are such badasses! Hermione reminds me a lot of you minus the frizzy hair, but I'm sure you've been told that before :) love from Dublin!
There are so many amazing female characters that it's hard to choose. But here is the current top 5 in order: Alice from Alice in Wonderland Sam from The Perks of Being a Wallflower Luna from the Harry Potter series Hemione from the Harry Potter series June from the Legend trilogy I have yet to read many classics, but Jane Eyre is high on the list.
Norah from The Guests of War Trilogy by Kit Pearson. Over the three books Norah goes from 10-15 it was a really interesting series one I read several times when I was younger. Hanna from The Reader by Bernhard Schlink - another book I've read several times. She was interesting because of how I felt about her choices even if I didn't always like her. Jane Eyre and Hermione were on my list too.
My favourite woman character Nombeko Mayeki from the girl who saved the king of Sweden, shes smart, independent and just a generally strong character. I agreed with all of your characters, par the Jane Eyre one, Jane Eyre annoyed me as a character and I feel she was a strong character till the end of the book, when she returns to Mr Rochester
The story of Tracy Beaker is still on (the original) With spin offs such as Tracy Beaker Returns (she gets a job at the dumping ground) And The Dumping Ground (no Tracy Beaker in sight although all the characters from TBR are still in there.
Hmm .. not easy to decide but I think that (for now) mine are: -Malta Vestrit from the Liveship Traders trilogy by Robin Hobb -Kettricken from the Farseer trilogy (same author) -Midori from Norwegian Woo by Murakami -Jane Eyre -Anna Shirley (and oh, I'll never get too old for a JW book!)
Jane Eyre!! And Hermione!! Lizzie Bennet is also one of my favourites. Also Lisel from The Book Thief. And Elinor in Inkheart. And Ginny Weasly. There must be loads more but those were at the top of my head. :P Good luck with the dissertation! What's it about? :)
What a wonderful combination! I'm guessing you mean Jo from the books as opposed from the film with Winona Ryder, she's too feminine to be the real Jo for me :)
Lyra from His Dark Materials Dicey from The Tillerman Cycle Salamanca from Walk Two Moons Jane Eyre and Harriet from Harriet the Spy Love these ladies and the inspiration and courage they provide me! Also, I've realized that most of these characters are from middle grade/young adult fiction... interesting
Three that came to mind all have young protagonist but are not children's books. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Simply a masterful and moving work of character development and a fully formed portrayal of idenity formation, re; the character Francie Nolan. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. In which the brave and adventurous Lucy Pevensie ends up becoming a Queen ! The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. In this story the relationship a girl, Liesel Meminger, has with reading and books is used to powerfully illustrate life in nazi Germany and the strength of character needed to develop principles and survive that period with them intact. Your reference to a 'healthy word count' for you dissertation brought to mind the fact that in the past some now famous authors often would be paid by the word for their work, much of which was published in the form of serialized installments in popular magazines. Maybe you could do a video someday on the effect this had on their writing and legacy.
hello candice!! i heard about your meet up on the 16th of may in brighton. id love to come and was just wandering when you say under the pier does that mean just beside it. i know this sounds really stupid but i don't want to miss out by going to there wrong location. i love you tons and look forward to meeting you and brian xxxxxxxx
I have looked through your videos for your goodreads account. (Not trying to stalk) Because I know you are a bookworm (as am I), could you please update on the books you have lately read? (Hopefully really good ones :) )
Wide Sargasso Sea is the reason I could never like Jane Eyre ever again. Thanks a lot Jean Rhys :( Antoinette is great, though. Really interesting character.
Have you read Jean Rhys' 'Good Morning Midnight'? Weird book, I'm not too sure about her. Also Jane Eyre is the reason I've never read WSS, haha. I feel like people use it and apply it to JE for context and character depth, and they put things to Bronte's narrative that just AREN'T THERE. Haha. I will read it, one day
Nop. I'm not sure about her either, although she writes in a style very similar to some South American authors. But WSS made a number on me. I tried to watch the newest Jane Eyre movie the other day and I just couldn't stand any of the characters :(
I haven't read all of The Chronicles of Narnia but I've always loved Lucy Pevensie :) and of course, Hermione Granger is incredible in so many ways. Another notable mention is Elizabeth Bennett because she is one of the best, well rounded and honest portrayals of a woman I've seen in fiction :)
One of my many favourite characters is Jeane Smith from adorkable written by Sarra manning. She's basically this internet famous outspoken teenager who preaches about being yourself etc and I love her because she's so argumentative and difficult but she's so honest and loyal and it's like she accidentally found the internet and it became her mission to spread individuality and dorkiness (hence the title) and yeah I think she's great ^-^
I first listened to Jane Eyre dramatised as a radio play when I was younger, and got myself the book in English (I'm German) when I was older. Always a favourite.
Hermione is a definite, and I ADORE Leslie Knope form parks and rec, Liesel Meminger, Tessa Blachthorn from blind beauty, and Sarah motherfucking Manning from orphan black which everybody should watch at some point.
Three female characters that I really love are Lady Katsa, Lady Fire and Princess/Queen Bitterblue from Kristin Cashore's Seven Kingdoms Trilogy (Graceling, Fire and Bitterblue). Katsa's so badass, and all three of them just trying to do the right thing with the huge amount of power they've been given at rather young ages. If you're looking for YA fantasy with awesome female characters (and awesome male characters too, and some awesome writing), I HIGHLY recommend Kristin Cashore :)
Have you ever read 'Oblivion' by Sasha Dawn? I was just captivated by the whole concept of Calliope's disorder. Oh, and good luck with your dissertation!
These are so well chose, so many stong, inspirational characters :) I reeaaally need to read The Help and The Color Purple, they sound incredible :D I love Katniss Everdeen, as stereotypical as it sounds! She's just so strong and she's her own person.. oooh and Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, she's just too smart and the book made me laugh so much, never mind the movie!!
Hey Candice, i adore your videos! you are so lovely and all your opinions are so interesting and i love listening to them! Tracy Beaker was one of my heroes growing up, I just love how she would be able to do the things i was to scared to do like start a food fight, or set up her own house in the dare game! I was wondering if you'd ever consider doing a video about starting uni, im going in September, and its starting to stress me out a bit! Best of luck with the dissertation! x
Very good list indeed! When you said Jane Eyre, it made me want to read the book so bad! I wanted to read it for a while now :) I would be very interested to see your favourite male book characters, maybe you could do a video of that too?
I agree so wholeheartedly with the list! were it not for Tracy Beaker I would not be finishing my first year of English and Creative Writing, Wilson is a wonderful woman and a genius. And Shug brings light to such a dark, troubling worrying book. And Jane. how can you not love her. aw I'm so tempted to draw up my own list now
