Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish (click the image to visit them) who pick a different topic each week.
This week the topic is: Ten Books For Readers Who Like Character Driven Novels
As it’s October, I thought I’d make it even harder for myself by choosing Horror/Thriller books.
Character-driven novels are those where the character’s arc is the main element of the story, rather than the actual plot. I’m not entirely sure if all the these books would officially be classed as character-driven, but they are all novels in which the characters are well developed and undergo some kind of personal growth throughout.
1. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice: Whether it’s the books or the film you’re familiar with, Anne Rice’s Vampire tale is very character-led. Each character has a strong arc, and has completely changed by the end of it. Or are y’know, dead.
2. Procession of the Dead by D.B Shan: Darren Shan’s first series for adults is one of my favourites in the horror genre, as long as we don’t talk about the last book! Protagonist Capac Raimi begins as a lovable young rogue, turns into the thing he feared the most, and has a monumental fall from grace.
3. Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes: We follow Cathy from the present day where it’s clear that horrific events in her past have traumatised her beyond recognition. She has debilitating OCD and finds it hard to leave the house. Throughout the book we are taken back to the events that led up to her current state, and while this is also quite plot-driven, it’s very much about Cathy’s growth as a person, and letting go of the past.
4. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King: I love this sequel to The Shining. We get to how little Danny Torrence grew up and how Abra Stone impacts his life. They are both strong characters who have intense character arcs. I felt like this book was much more character-driven than the first.
5 & 6. The Woman in Black & The Mist in the Mirror by Susan Hill: I feel like most of Susan Hill’s books are very character-driven. Maybe it’s because they are gently paced with an emphasis on the character’s reactions to the supernatural. These are the two books of hers that stand out for me, character-wise.
7. Doll Bones by Holly Black: This is my current read so I don’t know how it ends yet. It’s a creepy tale about dead girl’s spirit trapped inside a china doll, but really it’s about three pre-teen friends feeling pressured into growing up, and their loss of innocence and imagination.
Gah I hate it when I can’t think of 10. What did I miss?
