September 2024 — Unforgettable Antagonists

What good is a hero without a suitable adversary to provide a true test of their mettle? Antagonists in fiction provide momentum and tension and are often just as (if not more) interesting than their counterparts. While the protagonist is generally obliged to be a stalwart paragon of virtue, the villain can display a liberating spectrum of titillating transgressions. Is it surprising that many of the most memorable characters in literature are the naughty ones?

This month, I wanted to feature some of these iconic villains. These men and women have reliably evoked strong responses from readers, and their roles are highly coveted when film or TV adaptations are developed. We love to hate them, condemn their actions, and secretly admire their ability to escape the strictures of social conformity.

	Olivia Foxworth *Flowers in the Attic - V.C. Andrews* The superstitious grandmother who locks away and abuses the children left in her care.
	Uriah Heep *David Copperfield - Charles Dickens* The machinations of this sycophantic law clerk hides his intent to betray, and blackmail his employer.
	Korede *My Sister, the Serial Killer - Oyinkan Braithwaite* A devoted sister who covers up her sister's crimes until one of the intended victims greatly tests her loyalty.
	Sauron *The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien* The dark entity that seeks to destroy all who obtain and become obessed by a stolen ring.
	Mrs. Danvers *Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier* The devious housekeeper whose idolization of the deceased first wife leads her to undermine the new Mrs. de Winter.
	Iago *Othello - William Shakespeare* The standard-barrier whose hateful machinations lead to Othello's destruction.
	Amy Dunne *Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn* A woman whose sudden disappearance and diary entries direct the police to suspect her husband of foul play.
	Humbert Humbert *Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov* A self-styled aesthete who uses his intellect to rationalize a horrifying passion for a young girl.
	Annie Wilkes *Misery - Stephen King* The unbalanced super-fan who captures her favorite author in hopes of influencing his next book.
	Ernst Stavro Blofeld *You Only Live Twice - Iam Fleming* Long-time foe of James Bond who attempts to eliminate the Secret Agent who repeatedly foils his world-domination plans.
	Eileen Dunlop *Eileen - Ottessa Moshfegh* The resentful and bitter secretary whose obsession with a new coworker results in the commission of a brutal crime.
	Hannibal Lechter *The Silence of the Lambs - Thomas Harris* The imprisoned psychiatrist who manipulates a young FBI agent seeking his help in catching a fellow serial killer.
	Lady Macbeth *Macbeth - William Shakespeare* The ambitious wife who encourages and facilitates her husbands usurpation of the throne.
	Anton Chigurh *No Country For Old Men - Cormac McCart* A remorseless, sociopathic hitman who pontificates about fate and justice as he kills his victims.
	Cersei Lannister *A Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin* The doyenne of the Lannister family whose lust for power is eclipsed only by her devotion to her children.
	Professor Moriarty *Sherlock Holmes*: The Final Problem - Arthur Conan Doyle Criminal mastermind and nemesis whose vast resources and intellect are the ultimate challenge for the famous detective.
	Nurse Ratched *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey* The tyrannical head administrative nurse who capriciously tortures her mentally ill patients.

September's Featured Review

White Ivy - Susie Yang

Hop on the Holds List

The City and Its Uncertain Walls – Haruki Murakami

The Author’s Guide to Murder – Beatriz Williams

To Die For (The 6:20 man #3) – David Baldacci

What the Wife Knew – Darby Kane

Wind and Truth – Brandon Sanderson

Quote of the Month:

"No one is a villain in their own story." - George R.R. Martin

Bookish News and Links:

Want personalized recommendations? Fill out a questionnaire to get a customized list sent directly to your email

Love Lists? Try these:

Literary Hub is always a good source for book lists. Here is their take on fictional antagonists, with some more obscure picks.

Stylist provides more titles in classic literature, including some children's book baddies.

Prefer heroes to their foes? My Hero has you covered!

AFI reviews 100 years' worth of cinematic antagonists.

Adaptation News: Upcoming movies and shows based on books:

The Perfect Couple is an upcoming mystery drama series based on the Elin Hilderbrand novel that will be released on Netflix on September 5.

Scott Westerfield's popular YA sci-fi series, Uglies, has a Netflix adaptation available on September 13.

Families will be able to enjoy The Wild Robot, based on the children's book, in select theaters on September 29.

Recent Reads

I have recently finished reading All Fours by Miranda July and A Better World by Sarah Langan. I also just finished listening to Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart.

I am currently reading the Collected Stories of Amy Hempel and The Family Experiment by John Marrs. I am also listening to the audiobook of Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

Do you root for heroes or secretly hope the villains will prevail? Who are some of your favorite bad guys?: Fill me in at jnmegan@gpl.org

Until next time: Be safe, be well, and be well-read!

Joelle

So, who am I, anyway? I am a resident of West Groton, with a husband, 3 children in college (and one at GDRHS) and a Samoyed that keeps my vacuum well-employed. I am currently working part-time at the Groton Public Library, and in my former life, I was a Director of PR/Marketing at a high-tech consulting firm. My BA is in Psychology, but most of my time was spent in college earning a Concentration on the Novel. That is all to say that I make no claims to being an expert of any kind, and my thoughts, opinions, and mistakes are solely my own. I am just a person whose passion for books has continued to grow from the moment I was first able to grip and gnaw on them. I have been devouring them ever since.

Sep 01, 2024 / Joelle M Egan