My Top Five Literary Crushes
When you're reading, occasionally there are those moments in the text that are so well-written, so charming, and so fitting that they linger in the best way. The character who had those lines becomes unforgettable, a sort of crush for the reader. Here's a few of my favorite bits from some of my favorite books…passages that highlighted the specialness of what I was reading. Maybe you recognize a few?
That moment when Calvin O'Keefe tells Meg Murray to keep wearing her glasses so no one else will know that she has "dreamboat eyes". Sort of a perfect line for a smart-but-awkward teen boy, and such a wonderfully real thing for Meg to hear. (A Wrinkle in Time)
That moment when Sundry Moss says "Good morning, mister" to Tobias Walton, the gentleman who becomes a friend and father figure to him. A low-key intro to an unusual character. Sundry features in Van Reid's historical fiction series The Moosepath League. His character walks the line; he's often sneaky and sly, but always in the service of good, and what can easily slide into cynicism never quite gets there. So fun. (Cordelia Underwood, etc, The Moosepath League)
That moment when Lyra's alethiometer informs her that Will Perry is a murderer, and her reaction is essentially: "Aces! Now's that's a boy I can count on." I loved Lyra for that response…right or wrong, she's her own person. The exchange tells you so much about both Lyra and Will, and is an amazing opening moment for their whole relationship. (The Subtle Knife, His Dark Materials)
That moment when Jenny walks up to the third floor, smells vanilla, and sees Tamsin for the first time. Peter Beagle knows about pacing: his title character isn't seen until over a third of the way into the book. And when she shows up, it's worth the wait. We understand why she's so compelling to Jenny (and the Other One), just by the way she smiles. And "Mistress Jenny"! Tamsin is a peach, isn't she? (Tamsin)
That moment when Faramir tells Eowen that he can't let her out of town, but he'll find her a room with a window that looks east. Because, dang, he's sympathetic to her obsession with the war, but he won't let her do something damaging to herself (like rejoin it). Tolkien often gets dissed for the way he wrote his few female characters, but I always feel like this passage is perfect for illustrating both Faramir's subtle way of dealing with problems, and shieldmaiden Eowen's recognition that her life will be changing, one way or another, so her attitude will have to change too. (The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings)
Got a literary crush of your own? Tell me about it: @jocelynk414 on ye olde tweeter.