by Damla
Today we celebrate all the fathers and father figures in our lives by highlighting the most remarkable fathers in literature. Whether they symbolise a guiding light, a sturdy support, or an overbearing power, these paternal icons are an undeniable force that give direction to unforgettable stories with their presence (and sometimes even in their absence!)
Happy Father’s Day!
Go Set A Watchman – Harper Lee
“An unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humour and effortless precision, a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill a Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context and new meaning to a classic.”
When we talk about literary fathers, perhaps one of the first names that pop into mind is Atticus Finch – the wise, compassionate father advocating empathy and strong morality to his two children. However, Harper Lee’s revisitation of the character in her latest book (published with much controversy in the literary world after a 55-year hiatus), which is an early draft of the well-loved classic To Kill A Mocking Bird, paints Finch in a much more complex and all-new light.
Game of Thrones – George RR Martin
“A time of conflict has arisen in the Stark family, as they are pulled from the safety of their home into a whirlpool of tragedy, betrayal, assassination, plots and counterplots. Each decision and action carries with it the potential for conflict as several prominent families, comprised of lords, ladies, soldiers, sorcerers, assassins and bastards, are pulled together in the most deadly game of all–the game of thrones.”
From the best to the most monstrous, George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy series has one of the widest range of paternal figures you can find. Be prepared to follow along in wonder (and horror) as alliances change and bonds are made and broken between families and foes alike for a grab at the throne.
“Sonny Corleone is an old hand, while World War II veteran Michael Corleone is unused to the world of crime and reluctant to plunge into the business. Both the police and ruthless rival crime lords scent blood in the water.”
Anne of Green Gables – Lucy Maud Montgomery
“When the Cuthberts send to the orphanage for a boy to help them at their farm Green Gables, they are astonished when a talkative little girl steps off the train. Anne, an incurable romantic causes chaos at Green Gables and at the village, but her good nature endears her to the residents.”
“The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, “each the other’s world entire,” are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.”
All The Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doer
“A beautiful, stunningly ambitious novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.”
A father who builds a miniature city inside the walls of his house for his blind daughter. A father who must flee Nazi occupation to protect her from the looming threat of war while guarding a deadly secret. A father who will have to face abandoning her if it means her safety, and maybe those of millions. This is a deeply moving, absolutely captivating story shaped by his choices.
“It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will be busier still. When Liesel’s foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel’s world is both opened up, and closed down. In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.”
“Master spy Twilight is unparalleled when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions for the betterment of the world. But when he receives the ultimate assignment-to get married and have a kid-he may finally be in over his head! Not one to depend on others, Twilight has his work cut out for him procuring both a wife and a child for his mission to infiltrate an elite private school.”
Want more? Check out more titles that feature remarkable father characters:
