I've started a new weekly meme here and I'd love for you to join me. Saturdays are now dedicated to honor the characters that don't always get their voices heard, who support (or work to destroy) our beloved protagonists. This is for the third wheel in the love triangle (can you have wheels on a triangle?), for the BFFs, the family members, or even just the kind and loving (or deceitful and creepy) stranger who shows up and changes the game. We all know these stories wouldn't hold up without support so I'd like to take the time to highlight the best secondary characters I come across. This is an opportunity to talk about what makes these characters special, maybe to speculate what their world would be like without them, or maybe cast them in their own primary roles. If you'd like to create a SCS post leave your link in the comments and I'll check it out!
To continue with the theme that's been going on here the later half of the week today I want to talk about:
Grams from Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe
As I have my own freakish (I mean freakish in a good way) bond with my grandmother, I particularly enjoy books in which grandmothers play important roles. This grandmother is particularly amazing, as she adds both to the humor, the love, as well as to the darker aspects of the novel. One thing I particularly love - she lives in a trailer on the beach (that she is incredibly reluctant to give up) that they call the "Tuna Can."
Grams herself is amazing, but she offers a way to let other characters shine. Because really, you have to love a boy who helps out your Grams without asking, so she gives us all the perfect opportunity to see just how amazing the potential boy really is.
So Grams is sweet, but she's also sort of losing it to old age and Parkinson's, so Chloe has to deal with this other change in her life. Since her own parents don't appear to be stepping up to deal with Grams's situation - they just fight with her, rather than listen to her - Chloe has to be the go between and sort of a caretaker for Grams. Chloe is so bright and energetic, but Grams is something a little more serious that she has to deal with - without losing her sparkle.
But some of my favorite moments were Grams moments - like talking about Brad Pitt's "heinie" in public - but what I really love about her is how human she is. She parallels Chloe amazingly - you can so see Chloe being her down the road - but both of them have somehow lost control and they just want to have some say in their own lives. Grams's hold onto who she is and what she'll let people give and take away helps Chloe come to terms with what she needs to let go in order to get back on track.
But, really, I think that you can tell who a person is by how they treat other people's grandparents. And this woman, who is so important in Chloe's life, shines light on the personalities of each character she comes in contact with.
Before you go: I posted an interview with Shelley Coriell yesterday, along with an awesome giveaway including an ARC of the book and a swag pack so you should definitely check that out!
To continue with the theme that's been going on here the later half of the week today I want to talk about:
Grams from Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe
Grams herself is amazing, but she offers a way to let other characters shine. Because really, you have to love a boy who helps out your Grams without asking, so she gives us all the perfect opportunity to see just how amazing the potential boy really is.
So Grams is sweet, but she's also sort of losing it to old age and Parkinson's, so Chloe has to deal with this other change in her life. Since her own parents don't appear to be stepping up to deal with Grams's situation - they just fight with her, rather than listen to her - Chloe has to be the go between and sort of a caretaker for Grams. Chloe is so bright and energetic, but Grams is something a little more serious that she has to deal with - without losing her sparkle.
But some of my favorite moments were Grams moments - like talking about Brad Pitt's "heinie" in public - but what I really love about her is how human she is. She parallels Chloe amazingly - you can so see Chloe being her down the road - but both of them have somehow lost control and they just want to have some say in their own lives. Grams's hold onto who she is and what she'll let people give and take away helps Chloe come to terms with what she needs to let go in order to get back on track.
But, really, I think that you can tell who a person is by how they treat other people's grandparents. And this woman, who is so important in Chloe's life, shines light on the personalities of each character she comes in contact with.
Before you go: I posted an interview with Shelley Coriell yesterday, along with an awesome giveaway including an ARC of the book and a swag pack so you should definitely check that out!
