If you are a reader of fiction there are probably some characters who have a special place in your heart.
For Library Lovers Week this year, Watsonia Library will be hosting some of our most loved fictional characters (not in person unfortunately – just posters!). From 8–15 February, come to Watsonia branch to view some our staff favourites and vote for the one you love best! On Friday 16 February we will announce the most loved character. One lucky random participant will be drawn to take some chocolates and their Library Lovers character poster home.
Often, a character’s status comes from physical looks, particularly if a movie or TV series is made, but we are looking deeper at their personalities and lovable qualities.
Of course, our staff picks may not be to everyone’s taste, so let us know which other characters you love.
Without further ado, here is our starting lineup. Check out our other literary lovables in branch when you come in to vote.
**UPDATE: Winner Announcement!
Over 50 votes were cast and the clear winner was Mr Darcy!
Followed by Hermione and Phyrne Fisher.
Fitzwilliam Darcy Esquire from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
Known for his brooding demeanour and chiselled features, Mr Darcy is considered one of the most handsome fictional characters. He comes off as abrasive as first, but we grow to love him as we learn of his caring nature and quiet love for Elizabeth Bennett.
Legolas from Lord of the Rings
Graceful and agile, Legolas is a skilled archer with long blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and an ethereal beauty that captivates fans of the series. He is the oldest of our favourite characters being somewhere between 200 and 2000 years old! His elven grace, warrior spirit and loyalty make him one of our top picks.
Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
Hermione’s most loved character status is assured by her amazing personality. She is intelligent, compassionate, fiercely loyal, and brave. She is the brightest witch of her age. She also loves the library, which we find a very winning trait!
Jon Snow from Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
Jon Snow starts life as an outcast and rises to become ‘King of the North.’ He makes huge personal sacrifices to protect his family and ordinary people. He is humble, brave and a great warrior, but the thing that stands out about him is his care for others and sense of duty.
Jack Reacher from the Reacher series by Lee Child
Jack Reacher is an ex-military police officer dumped into the civilian world. He does not fit in, and he spends his time wandering America seeking out injustice and righting wrongs. Despite his taciturn and aggressive personality, Reacher is a caring person at heart who goes out of his way to help anyone in need, and he is capable of acts of exceptional generosity.
(Psst don’t miss the new TV series, we have Season 1 on DVD waiting for you.)
Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
Katniss Everdeen is a strong, resourceful, unsentimental, and practical sixteen-year-old who is far more mature than her age would suggest. She has a magnetic personality and effortless leadership style. She is brave and daring, and while Katniss has a hardened exterior, she also has a soft and compassionate side.
Phyrne Fisher from the Miss Fisher series by Kerry Greenwood
Phryne Fisher is no ordinary 1920s wealthy aristocrat; she works as a private detective, and she is smart, independent, glamorous, and unflappable. She is vivacious and loves life. Phryne unapologetically marches to the beat of her own drum while demanding equality and independence for herself and for others.
Who else makes our list? Come along to Watsonia Library and find out.
What else are we excited about this Library Lovers Week?
Here at Watsonia Library we love our favourite characters so much that we want to write to them! (It will be your last day to vote for your favourite.) You can write to a real or fictional character and connect with other bookish people at our Library Lovers event Writing Love Letters at Watsonia Library on Thursday 15 February, 7.00pm–8.30pm.
Some other highlights of Library Lovers Week include:
Library Lovers: 1000 Hearts Project
Get crafty at Thomastown Library on 13 February from 4.00pm –5.00pm and make your own little pocket heart to share with a loved one or give a stranger as a random act of kindness.
Celebrate stories and poems of love at this entertaining group session. Our storyteller will share stories and welcome you to share yours at Mill Park Library on 14 February at 2.00pm. Feel free to bring along a short piece or a poem that has touched your heart. Afternoon tea will be provided.
Items on our shelves you should take home this Library Lover’s Week:
Love letters of kings & queens
Tender, moving, heartfelt and warm (and sporadically scandalous and outrageous too), these are the private messages between people in love. Yet they are also correspondence between the rulers of nations.
Every couple has a story. How they met, how they fell in love – their ups, their downs. What made them want to be in each other's arms day and night. The private universe between two people as they try to hold to each other despite the barriers of geography, culture and class. Every couple has a beginning, a middle, and maybe an end. The Lovers is an enchanting fable that explores the light and dark of a relationship – a love distilled down to its barest form. You might think you know this story. Maybe you do.
The statistical probability of love at first sight
Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything? Hadley has never believed in destiny or fate before. But, stuck at the airport in New York, today is also the day she meets Oliver. He's British. He's cute. And he's on her new flight. Set over twenty-four hours, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.