Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is “Top Ten Books To Read If Your Book Club Likes _______________ (if your book club likes historical fiction, inspiring stories, YA books, non-fiction, controversial books to debate about, or pick a specific book).” I love grey characters. I think there is so much to explore when dealing with moral ambiguity. You’re never really sure where these characters stand and often it’s so easy to love them despite the awful things they may do. Covers are linked to Goodreads.
1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling – I think most people think of Snape when they think of a grey character in Harry Potter, but in the Half-Blood Prince, Draco really became a standout character who struggled with his conscience.
2. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas – For someone who has stopped reading this series, I sure do mention it a lot. I am of the firm opinion that Manon may be the best thing to come out of this series and you really never know what you’ll get with her.
3. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Steifvater – I’ve said it before that I love the villains in Stiefvater’s Raven Cycle series and I think the Grey Man (Did she name him this on purpose?) really exemplifies the…grey character (again, on purpose?).
4. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo – I love love love the characters in the Six of Crows duology. I think you can make an argument that each of them take part in questionable behavior that you really have to label them antiheroes and not traditional heroes.
5. And I Darken by Kiersten White – I love you, Lada, but you’re crazy. This girl is one of the most ruthless characters I’ve come across and yet I find myself moved by those small moments where she shows that she really does care.
6. Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke – When I finished this book, I took a good five minutes trying to figure out what I had just read. Just when you think you know who to root for, the author throws you for a loop.
7. The Young Elites by Marie Lu – A better title for this series is How a Villain is Born. In The Young Elites we see the young Adelina get closer and closer to embracing the darkness inside her.
8. Truthwitch by Susan Dennard – I love the two leads in this novel, but I really think the mysterious Aeduan steals the show. I don’t know what to make of him, but I like to believe that down the road we could call him a good character.
9. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness – One of the reasons I really like this series is how far Ness pushes his characters. Though there are obvious “villains” in the series, the leads often don’t make the best decisions. It’s difficult to remain strictly good when you live in a world that forces you into bad situations.
10. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – Can you even point to a character in this novel who you are supposed to root for? They are all just awful and yet I’m intrigued.
Who are some of your favorite grey characters? I’d love recommendations for books that feature grey characters, so please share in the comments. And be sure leave a link to your own TTT post, so I can visit.
We did discuss GONE GIRL in book club and a lot of the discussion did center on the ambiguity of the characters and our feelings about them.
My TTT Book Club Choices
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I can only imagine how interesting those discussions were.
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Manon is my favourite character in the series, and she is so amazing. In Queen of Shadowsyou can see she’s clearly struggling with her decisions whether to blindly follow with what they’re ordered to do.
Adelina is amazing and I understood her motivations, but it doesn’t mean I loved everything she did. She could be quite impulsive, and too caught up in revenge at times.
Yes to all the characters of Six of Crows! omg
All of these other books are on my TBR so I can’t wait to meet the other characters you mentioned!
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Manon is such a multilayered character. I’d be totally up for a series based on her. Yes, Adelina was very much rules by her emotions, making her very impulsive. Love the Six of Crows characters so much, so so so much. I hope you enjoy!
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This list has certainly given me some TBR fodder. I now need to go read The Young Elites. I just read Vicious by V.E. Schwab. I am not sure if he is gray or the book is just told from the villains point of view. Could be both.
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I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Vicious is on my TBR (and my shelf), I know it would make this list. I’ve been saving it for a rainy day because I know I’m going to love it.
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I enjoyed The Dream Thieves so much! It’s probably the most fun I’ve had reading a book. I still think about it. XD
I’ve always wanted to read Six of Crows! Everyone tells me it’s so good.
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That’s fantastic! The Raven Cycle is one of my all-time favorite series. You are going to love Six of Crows!
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I love characters with moral ambiguity. Six of crows looks tailor made for that, and Truthwitch I still haven’t read but including tha there has me curious. I do want to get to that book. And of course Gone Girl. 🙂
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Both Six of Crows and Truthwitch are really good books. Gone Girl is such an interesting book.
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You make me very curious to start The Young Elites!
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It’s a really interesting series for sure!
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What an amazing idea for a list Alicia! 🙂 Grey characters are incredibly intriguing.
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Thanks, Chrissi! I agree, they’re always so interesting to discuss.
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I really want to read Wink Poppy Midnight. I think I would add Warner from the Shatter Me series. 🙂
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I really liked Wink Poppy Midnight, it was so odd and different. I’ve heard many things about this Warner character.
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Hi, I love your list! Especially since morally grey characters have always been close to my heart. I’ve had Gone Girl on my TBR list for some time, but haven’t got around to reading it yet. Perhaps I will soon. And The Half Blood Prince is my favorite Harry Potter book for this very reason. I feel sort of inclined to post this link from a couple of weeks ago, since I talk about those two guys specifically and you know what I mean Bad Boys with Depth
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Thank you so much! I’m going to definitely check out your post, thank you!
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I loooove your list! I love gray characters. Lada was awesome. I also love Draco in Half-Blood Prince. In hindsight, I didn’t really love him during my first read. Great list!
My Top Ten
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Thank you! Lada is amazing, scary, but amazing. I think I’d definitely read the Half-Blood Prince differently now than I did in the past.
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Gone Girl was such a mess! I think by the end I just decided that the main characters deserved each other and left it at that! I love this topic! I love an ambiguous character and almost all of these are on my TBR. You have me even more excited to read them – especially the Maggie Stiefvater series.
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I sort of think that was the point of the novel. Yes, read Stiefvater now, she’s amazing!
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I like the idea of looking at Grey characters. I like your list though I have not read them all but heard about them 🙂 Snape and Draco are great characters and added to the book series!
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Snape and Draco both make really interesting characters even if some of their choices was questionable.
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I love your topic! I just read an ARC of The Gilded Cage by Vic James that would fit well with your topic!
Here’s my TTT: https://4thhouseontheleft.wordpress.com/2016/11/01/top-ten-tuesday-top-picks-for-a-read-the-world-book-club/
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Thank you so much. I have Gilded Cage on my TBR and now I’m even more excited to read it!
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oh i love this take on the theme! I haven’t really thought about grey characters much, but now that you bring it up, they ARE so intriguing. My TTT
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Thank you! Yes, aren’t they really interesting to think about and dissect?
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I’m so glad you included The Dream Thieves for the Grey Man! 🙂
Lauren @ Always Me
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How could I ever leave about the Grey Man? I absolutely adore him!
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So many amazing selections here. In particular, Raven Cycle. Yes, the Grey Man is definitely a grey character. I also think Ronan represented a person who wasn’t black and white.
And Snape, I think that he was a grey character but on the other hand his actions were all love inspired. I think Draco is definitely even more grey because his decisions were strictly made on his own morality.
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You make a great point, I do think that Ronan could be considered a grey character. His father might be a good one to add to the list as well. Well, not all of Snape’s actions came from love, he was also a very jealous and vindictive character.
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That’s true. I just can’t help but wonder where he’d be if it wasn’t for his love of Lily.
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Very true.
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What a great topic idea! And I loved the books you chose — especially Gone Girl and Six of Crows. Both were perfect for this.
My TTT.
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Thanks! Gone Girl and Six of Crows were such interesting books in terms of characterization.
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Grey characters are the best characters, they definitely inspire the most engaging conversations and heated discussions, which is just what you want in a bookclub! 🙂
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They really do, especially those heated discussions…we are a passionate community, aren’t we?
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Hi! I totally agree with you on Gone Girl! I also love Snape as a grey character. Great idea for this week 🙂
My TTT
Leslie
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I think Gone Girl was made for a list like this. Snape is definitely a contradictory character. Thank you!
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