Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Favourite Kick-Ass Heroines

I haven't done a TTT in 2 weeks as last week I was feeling very sniffly and sorry for myself and was convinced I couldn't come up with the 10 Halloween themed books required. This week however I am on top form so lets go, in fact, lets sing 80's female power ballads as we go along because Im sure we are all Kick Ass Heroines (or Heroes!). All in tune? okay...

1)  Daenerys "Stormborn" Targaryen, A Song Of Ice & Fire - George R.R. Martin. My number 1, of course. I love Dany, she and Jon are my favourite characters of the series and when I get to her chapters I'm always so excited. When she listens to others I think that's when she we think she's becoming weaker, but then that blood of the Dragon starts to come out and my head is filled with choruses of "You Go Girl!" "I am Daenerys Stormborn and I will take what is mine with fire and blood!"

2) Arya Stark, A Song Of Ice & Fire - George R.R. Martin - Arya has been Kick-ass since she was first mentioned in the books, and as the series goes on she becomes more and more brilliant and my love for her grows. Arya is a survivor, yes, she also wants a lot of revenge, but she is the only character (apart from Tyrion) who I think will definitely survive the series, she's just so strong and capable of anything, I'm sure She'll be there till the end.“Swift as a deer. Quiet as a shadow. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Quick as a snake. Calm as still water. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Strong as a bear. Fierce as a wolverine. Fear cuts deeper than swords. The man who fears losing has already lost. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Fear cuts deeper than swords” 

3) Brienne of Tarth, A Song Of Ice & Fire  George R.R. Martin. Ah Brienne, the one woman who managed to make Jaime Lannister realise he had a heart. I really like Brienne, I like that she's not beautiful and doesn't seem to care, I like even more that she managed to become a Knight, but most of all I like her honour and her loyalty which seem to know no bounds. "All my life men like you've sneered at me, and all my life I've been knocking men like you into the dust."

4) Éowyn, The Lord Of The Rings - J.R.R Tolkein. I (gasp) have not actually...read...this series. (Don't shout at me!) and have only seen the films a few times each however I have read a lot about the series and I definitely know who Éowyn is. Her kick-ass line in the film however ("I am no man" as she slays the witch King) alters in the book, but is just as awesome; "No living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Éomund’s daughter. You stand between me and my lord and king. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you if you touch him."

5) Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë. Jane is so unbelievably strong. She goes through such massive heartbreak in her life and just seems to take it all in stride, Plus I love the part where Jane first meets Helen as a child and stands to have all her hair cut off with her for showing vanity - all so Helen won't have to be different alone. “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”

6) Jo March, Little Women - Louisa May Alcott. I love that Jo refuses Teddy knowing she may never be made an offer of marriage to again, because she loves him like a brother and has dreams of her own. She wasn't afraid to fight for what she wanted - in terms of her career and her choice of a man. And she cut off all her hair to pay for her mother's train ticket. Clearly I just like it when girls sacrifice their hair. "Well, of course Aunt March prefers Amy over me. Why shouldn’t she? I’m ugly and awkward and I always say the wrong things. I fly around throwing away perfectly good marriage proposals. I love our home, but I’m just so fitful and I can’t stand being here! I’m sorry, I’m sorry Marmee. There’s just something really wrong with me. I want to change, but I – I can’t. And I just know I’ll never fit in anywhere."

7) Becky Sharp, Vanity Fair - William Thackery.  Becky, like Jane Eyre is an orphan who leaves her school when she comes of age, unlike Jane however, Becky decides that climbing the social ladder is a much more appealing use of her time than working. The ending of this book is the most Kick-ass thing about Becky, she refuses to be poor and always manages to turn her luck around. "I'm not a child, Captain Osborne. Not like your brainless little Amelia. Ambition doesn't tire. Evil never sleeps."

8) Matilda Wormwood, Matilda - Roald Dahl. I'm pretty sure that if you're female and you write a book blog, you consider Matilda to be Kick-ass. BECAUSE SHE IS. Roald Dahl books were a massive part of my childhood and, of course, I always identified with Matilda, if only I had powers and could move stuff with my thoughts too..."The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and to India with Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village."

9) Alice, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland/Alice Through The Looking Glass - Lewis Carol. First off, Alice followed a rabbit down a hole, that's pretty darn adventurous, I'm sure I'd never have done that as a kid (or now), then she finds her self in, quite frankly, terrifying Wonderland and just plods along. She only really gets upset once or twice about being there, which, if that was me, would not be the case. The minute flowers start mocking me I'm out. "In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again." 

10) Lady Brett Ashley, The Sun Also Rises/Fiesta - Earnest Hemingway. Brett never does anything particularly adventurous or admirable, I just like that she's so open with her heart, but at the same time sensible. She's in love with love and when she stops feeling it she moves on. I just think she's so wonderfully forward. ""Oh Jake," Brett said, " we could have had such a damned good time together." Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly pressing Brett against me. "Yes," I said. "Isn't it pretty to think so?""