This week’s Top Ten (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) is about jerks in literature.
Looking around at other people’s lists this week, it seems I’m not reading the same books about jerks as others but still, I managed to rustle up ten guys that fall into the jerk category.
August in Water For Elephants. Unpredictable, abusive, one minute he’s charming the next he’s crazed with anger and he blames it all on love.
The Narrator of The Gargoyle. Not all jerks are the villains, I came to quite like the unnamed narrator but he was certainly a jerk for a large part of the book.
Richard in the Anita Blake series. I am starting to hate Anita but Richard is one seriously annoying character. He’s a blimmin’ werewolf yet he’s so judgemental, still keeps coming back for more abuse then gets angry at everyone in sight.
Matt in Nineteen Minutes. I hate bullies anyway but he was also a complete jerk to his girlfriend and hid behind his popularity.
Hercules in Greek mythology. No matter what story he’s in I always think “what an arrogant tosspot”!
Assef in The Kite Runner. Starts of as a bully and gets given power, the worst kind of jerk and one I was wishing death upon.
Michael in Triptych – one of the few times I’ve gone through a book hating the main character (and not hating the book as a result).
Old Nick in Room (I nicked him from someone else’s list but I completely agree).
Paddy in This Charming Man. Seems like your run of the mill variety jerk but he’s so much worse.
Daniel Brophy in the Rizzoli and Isles series. Am I allowed to call a priest a jerk? Well he’s certainly jerking Maura around when I think the damage is done and he’s just being hypocritical.
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I wanted to list Assef, but I couldn't remember his name. Yes, he's awful.
I thought you said you weren't going to do it this week! Glad you did though! Great list! I thought about putting Old Nick on mine, but didn't in the end. I completely agree though. You're right about Hercules too (even though he never crossed my mind)! Not my favourite Greek hero. Arrogant tosspot! You made me laugh! 🙂
I had thought of 5 without really trying so I had to give it a go!
I haven't read a lot of these but I included August and Assef – both characters that made me sick. The narrator of The Gargoyle was a good choice too, I remember reading that book and not feeling any connection to him (I ended up liking Marianne quite a bit though.)
Other than Room, I haven't read any of these. Several are on my TBR list though. I completely agree with Old Nick.
-Cassandra @ Wickedly Delicious Tales
I couldn't agree more with Assef – I was wishing the most horrible of horrible on him!
Oh, right. I forgot about the narrator of The Gargoyle! He was a jerk for a long time. But I did like him by the end of the book.
the narrator in Gargoyle is a jerk! Yes he changed his ways but you just know if it wasn't for that accident he wouldn't have. I did grow to like him in the end too.
Old Nick is a good one. I just recently read Room, so I am surprised I forgot about him.
Read my list here.
Glad to see The Kite Runner on here! I've noticed a few lists with August on it – I might have to check out that book. The summary just kind of bored me.
August made our list too!
Reading Lark's Top 10
hmmmm…I'm going to have to check out The Gargoyle…sounds intriguing!
Embarrassingly, I haven't actually *read* the Hercules myths, only read *about* them…so I'll need to add that to the list as well 🙂