Villains with Flair. A Top Ten Tuesday Book List
Hey, hey Top Ten Tuesday friends! Let’s have a look at our topic Top Ten Tuesday October 23 list. For today our topic, appropriately is as follows.
That Artsy Reader Girl | Top Ten Tuesday October 23: Villains
I’m going to be honest. I am not a villain girl. Nope. I like the protagonists in my stories to be noble and good (which doesn’t mean perfect). Some of the best heroes are flawed and yet, they are still someone we can look up to and admire. When it comes to villains, there are some “Disney greats,” but not many bookish “greats” as based on my reading experience.
In fact, I really should have made a list of favorite (using this term in a non-endearing, but rather I’m-remember-this-creepy-dude kind of way) animated villains a-la Disney style. Alas, I was too disorganized. Still, I do add one or two Disney villains below. Mainly because I remember very few book villains. Needless to say, this isn’t my kind of topic. But it’s still fun to read all the posts and put one together.
With that said, let’s take a look at this villain list aka my these-books-should-have-villains list.
Villains with Flair. A Top Ten Tuesday October 23 List
1: Because You Love To Hate Me (Anthology/Novella Collection) | This anthology collection is the one book I do not have on my shelf (from this list). But I added it because it’s a perfect match for today’s prompt and I am (surprisingly) curious. Goodreads
2: Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings | From all I know of this book, it’s full of bad-guys (even the “heroes”!). Tell me if this is wrong, because I’m (somehow) still curious. Goodreads
3: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo | This series is about a gang of “bad guys” who form together to become a kind of heist crew. Or again, this is my impression. Either way, I am curious about Leigh’s books, and this duo in particular. Goodreads
4: Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean | OK, so I lied. This is one anti-hero (I cannot call him a villain) I actually do adore. Johnny Depp makes this character so quirky you cannot help but like the weird dude.
5: Blackhearts by Nicole Castorman | A pirate-esque story!? I have no doubts this one has a villain or two – probably a character we’ll be glad to see defeated! Goodreads
6: DC Icons (Series) | Again, I haven’t read this series (same can be said for all but one book on this list), but it stands to reason that any superhero story is also going to have villains. Goodreads
7: Edward Murdstone from David Copperfield | Though I’ve never read a Dickens novel I have to believe that the film or TV adaptations are getting good source material for his creepy characters. Either way, Edward Murdstone is one of the creepy ones. *shudder* It makes me quite sad to see The Scarlet Pimpernel aka Anthony Edwards play the character in the 2000 adaptation. Goodreads
8: Ursula from The Little Mermaid | As a child, this was my favorite Disney film. Or so I’m told. I find this odd since the whole whale situation in Pinocchio scared me, but Ursula’s terrifying sea creature didn’t!? *shrugs* No matter my strange child preferences, this is a Disney classic, and is a favorite for nostalgia’s sake. Also, who’s excited about the rumored live action version!? Oh, and am I the only one who now wants to re-watch this?
9: Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland | Though I haven’t “met her” in a book, Marissa Meyer did re-tell the Queen of Hearts story in Heartless. I’m not sure anyone can play the character better than Helena Bonham-Carter.
10: White Witch from The Chronicles of Narnia | The only novel I have read on today’s list. I don’t remember specifics about the first Narnia novel, but do know I adored it and closely thereafter, seeing it all unfold on the big screen. It’s a magical memory. Goodreads
Today we talk about my distrust of VILLAINS! Come by and tell my about your favorite (or not-so-favorite) villain characters. #TopTenTuesday October 23: Villains Share on XHow about you. Do you like villains or do you root for their eventual just demise? I’m curious. Let me know if you’ve met any villains turned good! I’d love to know which of these books you’ve read – and which you recommend, too.
If you joined today’s meme, make sure and leave your Top Ten Tuesday links below so I can visit – or simply introduce your blog. I’d be glad to visit your bookish spaces.
Thank you for visiting.
Because You Love To Hate Me does seem like it would be a fun read! And Jack Sparrow’s a good choice. :)
Also the White Queen- yes!!!
Doesn’t it?! I haven’t read the anthology, but it seems the ideal seasonal read. :)
…Jack isn’t a “villain” in the way I often think of villains, but he’s not a “noble hero,” either, so…
Thanks so much for visiting, Greg!
Ursula is such a great choice! She’s terrible but I love to hate her.
Right!? I thought she fit perfectly today – and I think there is a new novel out about her story!
Thanks for visiting, Chrissi. :)
The White Witch was a great villain. The Little Mermaid is one of my favorite Disney Movies.
I agree! She’s controlling, and overall, evil!
YAY for a shared Disney favorite.
Thanks so much for visiting, Brooke. :)
Cool list! Helena Bonham Carter did do the Red Queen rather well. Did you like Heartless? I personally found it a tad underwhelming. And glad to see Jadis on a list! The White Witch was great on screen too. The first Narnia movie was such magic.
I haven’t read Heartless yet. But do hope to enjoy it as a “fun read” if nothing else. :) Helena is FABULOUS as the Red Queen; but I do think her “style” suits this kind of role.
I AGREE! The first ‘Narnia’ is magical.
Thanks so much for the visit.
Ah Six of Crows is so good! And Blackhearts and Because You Love To Hate Me were both on my list this week too.
I hear AMAZING things about Six of Crows, Jo, and cannot wait to read it! YAY for sharing books on our lists; that’s always fun. I look forward to discover what else made your list.
Thanks for the visit! :)
Six of Crows is really good! I hope you enjoy it when/if you get a chance to read it. Jack Sparrow is certainly a great anti-hero. Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
THANKS! I love to know all the good (and not-so-good) thoughts on my upcoming reads. Here’s hoping I make winter 2018 (or is it 2019!?) the season I FINALLY read Six of Crows.
Thanks for the visit! :)
This is a great list! Love Jack Sparrow and the Six of Crows crew.
Always glad to hear good things about the Crows gang, and to meet a fellow Jack Sparrow fan. :)
Thanks for the visit, Sarah!!
Excellent take on the list! The White Witch gave me nightmares as a kid haha.
Cora | http://www.teapartyprincess.co.uk/
She IS creepy, right!?
Thanks so much for visiting, Cora. :)
This is a fun list! I love the inclusion of Disney characters. I’m a Disney girl through and through. The Queen of Hearts and Ursula were always my favorites growing up.
I sort of wish I’d made a list entirely of Marvel characters, but at the same time, this was fun – and I too am glad I added a few Disney characters! :)
Thanks so much for the visit, Lillian.
I actually went back and forth between adding Six of Crows to my list because the characters are so morally grey, but they go up against some truly heinous people.
I have hope that I’ll like the characters despite their questionable actions because I do know, I’m a girl who likes to have good characters (even if they do have flaws, which we ALL wrestle with) to do good things and defeat bad guys. So, it’ll be interesting for sure…
Thanks for visiting, Alicia. :)
The White Queen always freaked me out. Like, I could never understand how the hell Edward thought she was nice. Not in the books and not in the movie. But especially the movie. As for the DC Icons series. I’ve read Wonder Woman : Warbringer and that villain would have made my list (if I had done it this week, rofl). It was incredibly satisfying to see the nemesis get their ass kicked for good by a couple of teenage girls. :D
I think Edward was always looking for something beyond the shadow of his siblings. His elder two were bossy, and then there’s Lucy, who’s the youngest and therefore the one everyone dotes on. He had a rebellious streak because of this, and whether or not he really believed the White Witch, she gives him the appearance of “power,” or as if he’s being seen.
SO glad WW has a villain who gets bested in the end. These are the best kinds of stories! :)
Thanks for the visit, Jessica. Glad you stopped by.
Do we really consider Captain Jack a bad guy? lol
My ttt
http://www.thehauntedgravebooks.com/2018/10/haunted-october-top-ten-locations-that.html
I don’t consider him bad, no. In fact, I kinda love him… but he isn’t a noble hero either. :D
Thanks so much for visiting, Renee. :)
Ursula definitely has style! And Pinocchio is by far the scariest Disney film if you ask me – it’s the bit where they’re turning the kids into Donkeys that I used to hate.
My TTT: https://basedonthebook.blogspot.com/2018/10/10-harry-potter-villians-that-arent.html
I don’t even remember that part in Pinocchio. It’s not a film I’ve ever re-watched, but don’t feel like I’m missing much.
Thanks so much for visiting, Catherine! :)
I was scared of Ursula as a kid. I think it was the tentacles that got me. Sea creatures are gross.
Ugh. I can relate, Aj! Generally speaking, I’m still creeped out by “sea” movies or any kind of undersea creature. *shudder*
Thanks so much for visiting. :)
THE LITTLE MERMAID was my fave as a kid also. I used to rewind the “Part of Your World” song over and over (I did the same thing with “Be Our Guest” in BEAUTY & THE BEAST). Ursula is a boss-bitch and I love her (and hate her??).
*high five* Must be something about the music… and of course, Ariel, too. :D
Ursula is SO easy to hate. The girl is despicable. Poor Ariel. Poor Eric.
Thanks so much for visiting, Michelle; always glad to chat with you!
Great list! The characters in Six of Crows are so much fun, I do love a well-crafted set of anti-heroes, and it’s great to see Ursula on another list. Weirdly it was never the whale that scared me in Pinocchio but the woman who turned all those boys into donkeys – I still find that scene hard to watch!
Glad to know this, Jess! I’ve been meaning to read ‘Crows’ for SO long, and hope sooner rather than later I mark them on my “read” list.
Someone else mentioned the donkey scene in Pinocchio earlier in the comments, too! I don’t even remember that scene. Guess I was too “traumatized” by the film as a whole.
Thanks so much for visiting. :)
Oh, I have to agree about The White witch of Narnia! *shudders*
Right?! She’s quite creepy!
So glad to have you stop by, Heather. Hope you’re doing well. :)
I didn’t recognize any until you started getting to the movie ones. ^^;
Great choices! *^-^*
I often don’t recognize characters on Top Ten lists either. Part of the fun of the meme. :)
Thanks for visiting, Shannon.
Six of Crows is one of my favorites – I hope you enjoy it when you get to it!
THANKS, Lauren!! I have high hopes. :)
Appreciate, as always, you stopping by.