A Loving Character

Anyone who loves reading will have experienced this at one point or another. It is surprisingly easy and half the time, you don't even realise it's happening to you.

I am of course referring to the phenomenon of falling in love with fictional characters.

Being an avid reader for as long as I can remember, this has obviously happened to me. Many times. My most recent obsessions include Shane Collins from Morganville, Draco Malfoy, Frank from Cat Royal, Bones from Night Huntress Series and oh God, so many more!

You may wonder why I am talking about this. Well, I think I safely blame Sophie for this, as all we ever seem to talk about are books. And the books I need to read. And the characters we are in love with. And then we realise that there are a lot of them. And that it is probably a bad thing. Or least very sad. Either way, surely we can not be the only people that suffer from this... thing, to fall in love with a fictional character. Someone who seems too lovely or caring or brave or simply brilliant that even though they don't exist, you cannot stop thinking about them.

And of course, it doesn't necessarily have to be with character's from books. I am very much in love with the Doctor and Capitan Jack Harkness and Tony DiNozzo and Seeley Booth to name but a few!

I wonder why this happens. I suppose more than likely it is due to the quality of the writing, whether it be prose or script. A character who has the best lines, is adorably comforting at the right time, knows when to hug and when to fight, well how can you not love them? So I guess, really, it's the writer's fault. I mean, why create such a character and not make him real? It's playing with reality and it's just cruel. Tugging on our heartstrings like that.

I think the hardest hit I have suffered is the Doctor. Especially the Tenth Doctor. Despite the fact that he is gorgeous, he has the best lines, mad and brave, running around the universe and saving people. How can you not love him? Many moments have been lost when I have been dreaming of running awway with the Doctor. Any fangirl will admit to this: it is a common fantasy.

In books? A similar character: Shane Collins from Morganville Vampires. I share this fascination with my friend Sophie. We often waste hours discusing his character, his motives and actions, how jealous we are of Claire! He is brave, fearless and a little bit silly, charming and adorably tough, if you can have such a combination!

Also Draco Malofy and Severus Snape from Harry Potter. Personally I am intrigued by the motivations of both these characters, espeically Severus. 'The Prince's Tale' is my favourite chapter of any book I have ever read; it is also quite possibly the best love story ever written. In my opinion anyway.

I could go on about fictional characters I love, but I think I'll stop there. It's a little bit depressing actually, thinking that these wonderful people don't exist. I suppose really they are too good to be true anyway.