Welcome back to another day in the blogverse! Go ahead, sit down on a virtual chair and nibble on a virtual cookie because this Thursday's theme is... *drumroll please*... heroines! That's right. I'm saving heroes for another Thursday, because today's going to be All About Heroines.
Obviously, a heroine cannot be flawless. Actually, it's a little bit off-putting when she is-- I mean, she has to be relatable, too. And she has to grow. I don't mean that she goes from 5'5" to 7'2" in one book. I mean that she has to learn: a.k.a, she shouldn't really be making the same mistakes over and over again. Development, people!
Also, depth. She shouldn't be shallow. Shallowness is what really makes a heroine (or even an entire book) unappealing. Or super egocentric--meaning they just don't think about anybody else. I'm not saying they need to be a regular Mother Teresa. Example: Sabrina from Girl of the Moment, by Lizabeth Zindel. Sabrina's supposed to be snotty. Actually, she's borderline unbearable, but the point is that she's a wonderful example of someone who would be an awful heroine.
My Top 10 Worst Heroines
10. Margo Roth Spiegelman from Paper Towns
9. Megan from Carrier of the Mark
8. Alex from The Magnolia League
7. EVERYONE from Gossip Girl
6. Clary from The Mortal Instruments
5. Schuyler from Bluebloods
4. Mia Thermopolis from The Princess Diaries
3. Bella from the Twilight series
2. Bella from the Twilight series
1. Enoby from My Immortal (Okay, so this doesn't technically count, but she sucks.)
I admit that Bella is listed twice, but... honestly? Total poster child for worst YA heroines. Also, there are some other things I want to say: 1) I liked Margo at first, but I just sort of lost track of her, and where she was going and why. 2) I read Carrier of the Mark because Leigh Fallon was an inkie. (If you don't know what that means, it's okay.) 3) My Immortal is widely known as the worst fanfic on the internet.
My Top 10 Best Heroines
10) Liesel Meminger from The Book Thief
9) Hermione from Harry Potter
8) Stargirl from Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
7) Melinda from Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
6) Anna from My Sister's Keeper
5) Meg Murray from A Wrinkle in Time
4) Maximum Ride from the Maximum Ride series
3) Hazel Lancaster from The Fault in Our Stars
2) Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games
1) Tris from Divergent
Actually, for me it's kind of a four- or three- way tie, but I don't usually do ties, so yeah.
Now, observe these images. If you can't see it, enlarge it. It is hilarious and also true. Aka the 'What would ___ Do' diagrams, they describe how certain YA heroines would react upon hearing that the rent is due.
Anyway, thanks for reading this slightly rambly blog post. Happy Reading!
Also, depth. She shouldn't be shallow. Shallowness is what really makes a heroine (or even an entire book) unappealing. Or super egocentric--meaning they just don't think about anybody else. I'm not saying they need to be a regular Mother Teresa. Example: Sabrina from Girl of the Moment, by Lizabeth Zindel. Sabrina's supposed to be snotty. Actually, she's borderline unbearable, but the point is that she's a wonderful example of someone who would be an awful heroine.
My Top 10 Worst Heroines
10. Margo Roth Spiegelman from Paper Towns
9. Megan from Carrier of the Mark
8. Alex from The Magnolia League
7. EVERYONE from Gossip Girl
6. Clary from The Mortal Instruments
5. Schuyler from Bluebloods
4. Mia Thermopolis from The Princess Diaries
3. Bella from the Twilight series
2. Bella from the Twilight series
1. Enoby from My Immortal (Okay, so this doesn't technically count, but she sucks.)
I admit that Bella is listed twice, but... honestly? Total poster child for worst YA heroines. Also, there are some other things I want to say: 1) I liked Margo at first, but I just sort of lost track of her, and where she was going and why. 2) I read Carrier of the Mark because Leigh Fallon was an inkie. (If you don't know what that means, it's okay.) 3) My Immortal is widely known as the worst fanfic on the internet.
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| Katniss Everdeen |
My Top 10 Best Heroines
10) Liesel Meminger from The Book Thief
9) Hermione from Harry Potter
8) Stargirl from Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
7) Melinda from Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
6) Anna from My Sister's Keeper
5) Meg Murray from A Wrinkle in Time
4) Maximum Ride from the Maximum Ride series
3) Hazel Lancaster from The Fault in Our Stars
2) Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games
1) Tris from Divergent
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| Hermione Granger |
Now, observe these images. If you can't see it, enlarge it. It is hilarious and also true. Aka the 'What would ___ Do' diagrams, they describe how certain YA heroines would react upon hearing that the rent is due.
Anyway, thanks for reading this slightly rambly blog post. Happy Reading!
I haven't read all the books being referenced but I am totally on board with Hermione, Katniss, and Meg Murray being some fantastic heroines. Surprisingly (to me, at least), Anne of Green Gables makes my list of worst heroines. Anne definitely grows and is far from perfect; I sympathize with her (most of the time, how can you refuse Gilbert Blythe twice??) but she's incredibly self-absorbed.
ReplyDeleteI vaguely remember reading it, which means I should reread it soon-- but honestly, I did remember thinking that while she was a little bit egotistic. It bothered me but I ignored it for the most part, just because I liked the writing a lot and wanted to see what happened.
Deletelove that you have triss from divergent as your 1 best heroine. she is totally mine too! new follower and fan!
ReplyDeleteKatie @inkk
Thank you :) I loved Divergent, and I really need to check out the rest of the series!!
DeleteWow, loved this post! I don't recognize a lot of the worst heroines (except Bella, of course), but I love the diagram comparing Hermione and Bella! When I read "Tools for survival: Edward"... I thought, yep, I'm sending this to everyone I know. Like the Katniss rent diagram as well. :) Hermione is probably my favorite literary heroine. Another book with a ton of great heroines is The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley-- awesome read! Thanks for following my blog, and I'm glad to have discovered yours-- following you back now. :)
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you! I love those diagrams, XD. I haven't read The Mists of Avalon--thanks for the recommendation! :D
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