This is a really hard one today.  Only 10 characters?  Really?  Thankfully, yesterday’s post covered the “boyfriends.”  So I can concentrate on heroines, villains, supporting characters, and more.  It still is a very hard choice.

Well, here goes.

Honorable mention:

Hetty Sorrel from Adam Bede by George Eliot

As you can read in my review of this book, it was not a truly favorite book of mine, but it was well worth the read.  And it got better. Hetty Sorrel was the tragic character.  She was poor but pretty.  She cared more about the way she looked than her duties.  I felt so sorry for her when all her trouble began.  And the tragedy does not improve.  I knew there was no escaping her destiny, but I still felt for her.  I was not enamored by any of the other characters the way I was with her.

#9:

Tea of Blaze of Glory by M. Garzon

I struggled to know which character to choose.  Yes, I loved my boyfriend, but Tea is quite a strong character.  I wasn’t sure I liked her in the beginning, but as I saw her growth throughout the story, I began to love her.  And the romance was as sweet on her end as it was on Jaden’s.  It was neat to see her come out of an abusive situation and truly have her dreams come true.

#7:

J.S. Bach from Johann Sebastian Bach by Rick Marschall

I bet this one throws you, doesn’t it?  Wasn’t he a real person?  Yes, but he definitely makes the top 10! I have always enjoyed the story of his life, but this book truly delved into his life from a spiritual perspective.  I still find myself thinking of his views on church music during the worship time of our church services.  This book brought this historical figure to life for me.

#6:

Kelly Grace Pickens from Countdown to Love by Julie Ford

I know I featured my “boyfriend” from this box last night, but I just have to feature Kelly tonight.  I fell in love with her from the start.  I instantly thought of Kellie Pickler (in the book, her name is often confused with that singer), and I really thought she was a well-developed character.  I loved the romance between her and Dillon–it was so much fun.  And yet she was a driven woman as well.  She knew what she wanted, and she didn’t rest until she got it!  Wow!

#5:

Tess from Tess of the D’Urvervilles by Thomas Hardy

I absolutely loved Tess.  So much that the ending was so harsh, but I was not surprised.  It had to happen.  I loved the way the author made her come alive, and I never tired of her.  She was a strong woman placed in an incredibly difficult situation.  I would have loved to have given her some advice to avert the harshness of her life, but it was not to be.  Indeed a woman with strength and depth.

#4:

Count Fosco from The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

Another surprise, I know.  Who would expect me to select a villain as my top character of 2011?  I went into this story knowing a lot about Count Fosco.  I did not realize just how charming he was.  He seems to be the nicest guy one could ever meet.  Under most circumstances, he would not be the one who would be a villain.  Villains are supposed to be ugly and mean.  Well, Count Fosco always seems to have himself together (even though he is severely overweight).  Even when one realizes what he really is.  It is worth the read just to read about him!  And I think many people would say that Count Fosco is one of the most likable villains in literary fiction.

Well, there you go.  I cannot believe how long it took for me to write this post.  Enjoy!

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