Your inspiring female literary characters
For World Book Day we asked you to share your most inspiring female characters with us on Twitter. Here's our favourites.
We loved your suggestions for inspiring literary characters who also happen to be female.
They're a varied bunch, ranging from everyday adventurers to women fighting injustice in a dystopian future. But perhaps the thing that ties them all together, is that these girls and women do things their own way. We hope you enjoy reading this list as much as we did (and maybe find a new novel or two to read as well).
Scout Finch
Scout Finch is a masterpiece of a character - Molly
Molly suggested six-year-old Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee's novel dealing with racial inequality in the American Deep South is told through the eyes of the curious and questioning Scout.
Katniss Everdeen
Katniss Everdeen as a brave young woman who is also kind and clever enough to see beyond the obvious - Siobhan
Who doesn't admire the brave and iconic Katniss? The central character from Suzanne Collins dystopian novel The Hunger Games was suggested by Siobhan.
Jane Eyre
When she was let down by Mr Rochester and leaves, she takes time to recover, then carves out a living and career that she cares about and becomes independent. I love her. - Libby
Libby suggested Jane Eyre from Charlotte Bronte's classic novel of the same name. The character is often seen as ahead of her time for displaying an independence rarely found in female characters from the time it was published - 1847.
Offred
Strong in the face of oppression and ready to sacrifice it all for what she believes to be right - Pads Lyn
Thanks to Pads Lyn for suggesting Offred from The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood's haunting tale set in a dystopian and patriarchal near future.
Ginny Weasley
Although she lacks confidence when you're first introduced to her, by the end of the series she has a fire within that means she will do what is needed to get the right outcome/what she wants. She is always willing to help others and strives to be the best version of herself as possible. - Emily
It was a tough call on which Harry Potter character to include - lots of you suggested Luna and Hermione too - but we particularly loved Emily's reasons for admiring Ginny.
Nancy Blackett
Because she was a good leader but gracious in defeat! - Helen
Nancy Blackett from childhood favourite Swallows and Amazons was suggested by Helen.
Miriam and Laila
Both female characters Miriam and Laila in Khaled Hosseini's A thousand Splendid Suns. Facing diversity and coming together and surviving against all odds in troubled Afghanistan. - Maxspida
Mother and daughter Miriam and Laila from A Thousand Splendid Suns -Hosseini's second novel after The Kite Runner - was shared by Maxspida.
Pippi Longstocking
She’s independent, strong and adventurous - Annie
Annie pretty much says it all about the much-loved characted of the Swedish children series by Astrid Lindgren - Pippi Longstocking.
Sophie Hatter
Sophie teaches us that only you can define yourself, the expectations of others do not decide your life choices, and your words have more power than you think - Sovay
Sovay introduced us to Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle, a fantasy novel by Diana Wynne-Jones.
Valkyrie Cain
She is a no nonsense girl - Claire
We'd not come across Valkyrie from the Skulduggery Pleasant books by Derek Landy before - so thank you to Claire for introduing her to us!