Characters We'd Like to Give Hugs to
Certain characters just need a really good hug. You know who I’m talking about. That character: the dark and twisty one with emotional baggage up the wazoo and too many dangerous pastimes. Here are just a few characters, I personally feel need an extra hug this year. Please chime in with your own nominees for Character Most in Need of Aggressive Hugging.
Jude Duarte
from The Cruel Prince and The Wicked King
Stop stabbing yourself in the hand and let us love you, Jude! You don’t have to do it all on your own. Perhaps less poison and murder, too. Honestly, maybe Jude should just take a nice seaside vacation, preferably sans a certain tail-having faerie prince.
Adam “Kurl” Kurlansky
Oh, my sweet, sweet football player-poet. You need to stop punching things, and start talking more. But also, hugs, lots of hugs. Preferably from Jo. If hugs are not on the table, I’m sure a heartfelt letter with some Walt Whitman verses will go a long way.
Kaz Brekker
from Six of Crows
I have a sneaking suspicion Kaz might not actually want a hug. However, he definitely needs one. After all, beating up street gangs and masterminding impossible heists takes a serious toll. Maybe Inej can give him a stealth hug from all of us.
Jude & Noah
This is technically cheating, but I couldn’t hug one twin and not hug the other. They’ve just been through so much, you know. Well, technically they’ve put each other through so much. (Also, what is it with characters named Jude needing hugs?)
Leigh Chen Sanders
from The Astonishing Color of After
Leigh is convinced her dead mother is a bird. She also has serious mixed feelings about having kissed Axel, her best friend/long-time secret crush. To make matters worse, that kiss happened while said mother was taking her own life. Needless to say, Leigh definitely qualifies for a hug.
Zélie
from Children of Blood and Bone
Having the survival of an entire people on your back is no laughing matter. Add to that magic that literally taxes your lifeforce, and well, let’s just say Zélie’s path is fraught. If she can find time while traversing the entirety of Orïsha on her quest to save magic, she should get several hugs.