Let’s Talk: FE&L #3- A Celebration of Empowering Females |

A Celebration of Empowering Females

Angelina and Brianna (otakutwins)

When Brianna and I were asked to do a blog post about empowering women, we jumped at the chance. Hey, blog tours are fun, and empowering characters are powerfully real. They face the darkest of moments and bring light to the situation,they see the good in people and help them no matter what. Empowering means to make stronger or more confident, to liberate or set free from something.

We think that it is important that main characters don’t hold back, they should motivate, empower, move the reader. Girls aren’t here to look pretty okay? Girls are more than beauty, they are strong inside and out, we can fight just as hard and just as good as the boys. Books are very influential, they can leave a reader with sadness, happiness, anger (cliffhangers people!) so it’s important that books shed positive light on girls (and boys!) Books need to have those characters who don’t just sit and dote over boys, because we are more than that. Sure, we can crush on guys but we can also crush evil.

This post is to celebrate girls, to celebrate what we are and who we can become. Brianna and I decided to put together a list of all the girls we feel have that ability to empower.

*When we think of empowering we mostly think of strong characters and we’re going to talk about some maybe not so well known ones.*

It is no secret (or maybe it is O_O) that I ADORE The Lunar chronicles by Marissa Meyer. Lets be honest here, main characters can make or break a book for the most part at least. There has to be some connection with the characters, some part of their story that draws you in. Cinder, Scarlet and Cress by Marissa Meyer are a-mazing characters who definitely make the book, and without them The Lunar Chronicles would be different (duh!).

Cinder is a mechanic which isn’t very common as far as I know, she isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. She is exactly what we feel a good main character makes, kind, fearless, strong. Cinder has her faults as we all do, but her story is one that is easy to fall in love with.

“I’m sure I’ll feel much more grateful when I find a guy who thinks complex wiring in a girl is a turn-on.”- Cinder

I haven’t read Cress yet, so I decided to add Scarlet along with Cinder because I felt that she was just as good. Driven by her motivation to save her Grandmother, Scarlet is constantly doing whatever she can to find her. She is a lot like Cinder (okay not a lot, she has similar characteristics though), she is a dedicated character, once her mind is set it is set! Scarlet is strong, and wont take no for an answer, even when things seem hopeless, she manages to escape, to find a way out or a way around.

“I would rather die because I betrayed them, than live because I betrayed you.”-Wolf to Scarlet

Maximum from Maximum Ride by James Patterson is in my opinion, a very popular author. One of his more popular titles is Maximum Ride. She’s a character whom I think would be another perfect example. She’s a leader of her flock, a person who knows how to kick butt and speak her mind. She’s witty and kind of cool!

“I don’t damsel well. Distress, I can do. Damseling? Not so much.”

Megan from Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson is another awesome example, she’s just so dang cool! She fights tough and works hard. I could say so much more, but I wouldn’t want to spoil anything. If you want a good character who knows how to show people that women too can be tough then I think Steelheart is a good example. \(^-^)/ I can’t find a good quote from/about her so sorry about that!

Also, there are characters that empower us not through their fighting skills in a dark perilous world, but rather their kind words and hopeful outlook in the world. They might not fight evil giants with magical powers or guns, but they have words and hope that empower people in other ways!

Lina from Between Shades of Gray is one of these characters. She fights not to defeat but to survive. She comes through a dark time in history, sent to Siberian concentration camps, forced to work and live there, separated from her family. Truly a sad story only based on true events.

“You stand for what is right, Lina, without the expectation of gratitude or reward.”

Ellen Foster from How I Fall by Anne Eliot was another character I looked up too. She didn’t swear, didn’t beat people up or hate the world that much. She just had simple hope that I loved. She wasn’t vulgar at all and her simplicity is another thing that I think could inspire people to be and do good.

Honorable mentions!

Celeana from Throne of Glass

Eleanor from Eleanor and Park

Winry from FMA

Sophie from Howls Moving Castle

Annabeth from Percy Jackson

Cia from The Testing

Heather from Panic

Melanie from The Host

Reading for over 14 years Angelina and Brianna (otakutwins) have enjoyed every second of it. If it’s a sad book, and action, thriller, survival, fantasy, fiction book, they will (most likely) read it! They are really excited to start reviewing books for the first time ever and hope you join them with this new experience together. They’d love to hear about books you’ve read or recommend too!