Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
This week we’re spotlighting 10 unlikable characters you can’t help but love. Such a fun prompt, and I can think of several off the top of my head. All of these characters were so unlikable when first introduced, but each one grew on me, and I ended up liking all of them. Arguably, number 10 I never really ended up liking, but I definitely respected and understood her more. lol
1. Jacks – Once Upon a Broken Heart
Synopsis: A new series about love, curses, and the lengths that people will go to for happily ever after.
Evangeline Fox was raised in her beloved father’s curiosity shop, where she grew up on legends about immortals, like the tragic Prince of Hearts. She knows his powers are mythic, his kiss is worth dying for, and that bargains with him rarely end well.
But when Evangeline learns that the love of her life is about to marry another, she becomes desperate enough to offer the Prince of Hearts whatever he wants in exchange for his help to stop the wedding. The prince only asks for three kisses. But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’s pledged. And he has plans for Evangeline that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy…
2. Haymitch Abernathy – The Hunger Games
Synopsis: Could you survive on your own in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don’t live to see the morning?
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weight survival against humanity and life against love.
3. Mr. Darcy – Pride and Prejudice
Synopsis: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a classic tale of love and values that unfolds in the class-conscious England of the late eighteenth century. The five Bennet sisters—including strong-willed Elizabeth and young Lydia—have all been raised by their mother to have one purpose in life: finding a husband. When a wealthy bachelor takes up residence in a nearby mansion, the Bennets are abuzz. Among the man’s sophisticated circle of friends, surely there will be no shortage of suitors for the Bennet sisters. But when Elizabeth meets up with the handsome and—it would seem—snobbish Mr. Darcy, the battle of the sexes is joined.
4. Violet – Violet Made of Thorns
Synopsis: A darkly enchanting fantasy debut about a morally gray witch, a cursed prince, and a prophecy that ignites their fate-twisted destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove.
Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.
But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.
Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.
5. Joseph Carter – The No-Show
Synopsis: Three women who seemingly have nothing in common find that they’re involved with the same man in this smart new rom-com by Beth O’Leary, bestselling author of The Flatshare.
Siobhan is a quick-tempered life coach with way too much on her plate. Miranda is a tree surgeon used to being treated as just one of the guys on the job. Jane is a soft-spoken volunteer for the local charity shop with zero sense of self-worth.
These three women are strangers who have only one thing in common: They’ve all been stood up on the same day, the very worst day to be stood up–Valentine’s Day. And, unbeknownst to them, they’ve all been stood up by the same man.
Once they’ve each forgiven him for standing them up, they let him back into their lives and are in serious danger of falling in love with a man who seems to have not just one or two but three women on the go….
Is there more to him than meets the eye? And will they each untangle the truth before they all get their hearts broken?
6. The Darkling – Shadow & Bone
Synopsis: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.
7. Darius – Mazarine
Synopsis: She’s cursed. He’s dead. How far will they go to change their fates?
Princess Marilee is cursed. A mermaid by day and a human by night, she made a fateful decision that has left her trapped between two worlds.
Disgraced Prince Darius is dead. At least, that’s what he wants everyone to think when he’s thrown overboard from a prison ship.
When Marilee and Darius meet, they reluctantly make a deal—Darius will help Marilee return to her family in exchange for enough money so he can disappear forever.
A doomed girl and a condemned man. Can they find redemption, or will they be lost to an unforgiving sea?
8. Wallace – Under the Whispering Door
Synopsis: Under the Whispering Door is a contemporary fantasy with TJ Klune’s signature “quirk and charm” (PW) about a ghost who refuses to cross over and the ferryman he falls in love with
When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.
Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop’s owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.
But Wallace isn’t ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo’s help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.
When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.
By turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, this absorbing tale of grief and hope is told with TJ Klune’s signature warmth, humor, and extraordinary empathy.
9. Rhysand – A Court of Thorns and Roses
Synopsis: Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price …
Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre’s presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.
10. Nesta – A Court of Silver Flames
Synopsis: Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she’s struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can’t seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.
The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre’s Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta’s orbit. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.
Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.
Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other’s arms.
Do you agree with any of my picks? What other unlikable characters did you grow to love? Comment below!
Good picks! I almost listed Mr. Darcy in mine as well.
Thank you. I love Darcy. 🙂
Great list, Julie. I waffled between Linus and Wallace in the Klune books and went with Linus. Yes, Darius is a great pick and I see we both included Joseph Carter. I didn’t think about Haymitch, but he is a perfect fit for this prompt.
Thanks, Carla. I haven’t read Cerulean Sea yet, but I’ve heard it’s fantastic.
I certainly agree and recommend it. The audio was amazing.
Mr. Darcy is the perfect answer! I’m reading Violet Made of Thorns this month, so I am excited to see what I think about Violet!
Haymitch is such an interesting example here! He’s one of my favourites, but he’s so hard to like, sometimes! Suzanne Collins has a gift for writing realistic, gritty characters, and making you adore them.
FangirlFlax @ FangirlFlax
https://fangirlflax.wordpress.com/2022/11/01/top-ten-tuesday-five-characters-i-love-to-hate/
I love him too, but, yeah, especially in the first book, he’s tough to like. She definitely does!
He’s definitely tough to like, but I can’t help but love him–especially after learning more of his story in Catching Fire!
Haymitch is one of those gray characters. You like and hate him at the same time.
Exactly! I love characters like that.
Haymitch is an excellent choice!
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-unlikable-characters-you-cant-help-but-love/
Thank you! 🙂
love all these picks!
Thanks, Jamie!
Joesph Carter is an unlikable character because of how the story is written/told. But once you know, you understand and change how you feel about him.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
http://readbakecreate.com/highest-rated-books-on-my-tbr/
Yes, exactly!!
I forgot to list Nesta! I put Jacks and Violet in my list too lol…great list!
lol – I still don’t really like Nesta, but I like her way more than I did before reading her book.
Love the Haymitch and Mr Darcy picks 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
Umm is the Jacks in Once Upon a Broken Heart the same Jacks from Caraval? And how did I not know this?
Under The Whispering Door keeps coming up on people’s lists. I think I need to add it to my TBR.
Yes!!! And I LOVE him in OUaBH. He’s the best!! If you liked him in Caraval, you should totally read OUaBH!! And Under the Whispering Door is fantastic. I would highly recommend it.
Jacks and Wallace are such good choices, and Nesta is probably my most reluctant agreement, haha! I am one those who did not like Nesta AT ALL and then I finally gave in and read A Court of Silver Flames and I’ve grudgingly agreed to be okay with her, haha. Great list!
hahaha – I feel exactly the same way about her. I don’t like her, even after reading ACoSF, but I feel like I understand her a bit better.
I haven’t read many of these, but yes Haymitch! Totally agree!
Jacks and Mr. Darcy are fantastic. 😍
I used Jacks and Rhysand, too. Haymitch was a good pick! I’m reading Violet Made of Thorns now.
Oooh, I can’t wait to read your thoughts on it!
You’ve got some really great ones on here! Haymitch, Violet, and Nesta are definitely prickly characters who I liked more as I read further into the book. Awesome list this week.
Thanks so much, Leah!
Wallace, Rhysand and Joseph Carter made my list too. Haymitch and Mr. Darcy are both excellent choices too! And Nesta, though I did end up liking her by the end, even if she didn’t make it easy 🙂
She made it so tough! lol I had a begrudging understanding of Nesta, but I don’t know if I ever grew to truly like her.
Great selection! I completely agree with Wallace, The Darkling and Haymitch.
Thanks so much! They’re all so unlikable at first, but they definitely grow on you. 🙂
I do like it when an author gives a villain a compelling/sympathetic backstory. It helps humanize them and make them more understandable. Not necessarily more likable, though!
Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
That’s so true!
Haymitch is a great choice! Joseph Carter is very popular this week. 😃 I never did grow to like The Darkling. I never clicked with the character, but I really wanted him to become a character I liked. I think that’s one of the reasons that series didn’t work well for me. I’m more of a fan of Six of Crows. Great list!
Six of Crows is my preference too, but I did enjoy the Shadow and Bone series as well. I liked the Darkling but never loved him the way some others do. Haymitch and Carter on the other hand – really liked them by the end of the series/book.
I think this week’s TTT convinced me to read Under the Whispering Door. Everybody has such interesting things to say about it!
It is sooooo good!! Definitely one of my favorite reads last year. I would recommend it,.
Great list! Jacks, Violet & The Darkling would’ve made my list too. 🙂
Thank you! Yes!! I love them all . 🙂