I have found something very likeable in all of the main characters of the books we've read so far. First of all, I liked how inquisitive and mechanical Hugo was. I liked the fact that he was good at tinkering with gadgets because of what he learned from his father. I think this made him interesting and different for me, as I haven't read a lot of books about anyone who was mechanically inclined.
Secondly, H.F. and Bo were incredibly likeable because of the humor that they always showed and the love that they had towards each other. I could relate to H.F. because of her strong emotions and her humor, and Bo was just a great and lovable sidekick because of the grief and support that he simultaneously gave H.F.
Crispin was not quite as likeable as H.F. and Bo, but I did find him likeable because he was absolutely genuine. He was so ignorant at first, but so earnest. That, along with his caring nature, made him a great character that I was able to like and identify with.
Out of all of these characters, Bo and H.F. win the contest for most likeable in my opinion. They are just too funny, and because the setting that they exist in is much closer to my own, I was able to relate to them more easily, which made me like them even more.
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I have to agree about Crispin not being as likeable, and about H.F. and Bo being top. They were both just truly funny and the best friend dynamic was written really well. I do think it helps to be able to relate to a character as far as their surroundings go, as well. Obviously the best books can make you relate to any character, no matter what or where they might be, but it helps (especially with reluctant readers) to have some surface things in common as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree about all the characters being likeable. I tend to think that that is a requirement of YA lit, that the characters "sell" to the reader. You know what I mean? Probably the best way that a reader can empathize with a character--as you pointed out--is through humor and being genuine. Personally, I found Hugo the least empathetic, and I think that was because I viewed him more "from the outside" than the other characters--just because of the movie-like quality of the book, not through any fault of his own.
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