Gen-types

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

I feel like maybe we've discussed this before but, well, we like talking about the same things again sometimes, right?

So recently I read a book which was OK, but I didn't love. When trying to figure out what exactly wasn't working for me, I realized one of the big issues I had--I felt like the author was trying to make one of the main characters into a Gen-type character, but was failing.

(To be completely honest, my first thought was, "This book would just be so much better if it was about Lord Peter instead." I think I'm due for a LPW re-read.)

So I started trying to figure out why I felt like the character failed to live up to the "Gen" type.

I started by trying to think of successful Gen-type characters. I know some are missing from this list, but these are the first I came up with--

Gen (obviously)
Lord Peter Wimsey
Sir Percy (the Scarlet Pimpernel)
Miles Vorkosigan
Chrestomanci
the Doctor

My list stopped there, even though I KNOW that I've read other books with this character type--help me out here, guys.


Then, I tried to decide what characteristics made this mold. The characters I listed above fit most or all of these characteristics:

clever and witty--quick thinking
intelligent--long term thinking
people skills--good at reading and understanding people
Aristocratic/privileged background, usually with a sense of style to go with it
Brave--sometimes in almost a daredevil way
Stick to a code/personal beliefs
Sometimes works in disguise or with another identity (not always literally)

That's all I have so far.

So what I'd be curious to discuss are these questions:

What other characters would you add to this list, and why do you think they fit? (Particularly if they're from books I haven't read ;-) Would you take away any I listed?
What characteristics would you add to this list--or take away from it?
Why do you think this character type appears repeatedly?

Comments

[lizzyazula.livejournal.com]

I can definitely see why you'd find Nathaniel boring, but I still recommend the third book. It's one of the best Children/YA books I've ever read, and it's where all the character development happens. I find myself returning to that one (not the first two, although I like them) frequently. I don't find that Jonathan Stroud ever goes really *deep* with emotions, but he does it with the third one.

The only downside is that it might be necessary to have read the first two to really understand the emotions going on in book 3, but book 3 is THAT GOOD. I recommend reading the series just to experience that one. =)

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I might have to try those again.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I agree with lizzy--I think the Bartimaeus books have one of the best series endings of anything I've ever read. It's perfect, and nothing like how I expected it to end. It's worth getting through book 2 to read book 3.