Connie at Reading Ladies has started a new monthly feature, Most Captivating Character of the Month. I read plenty of great characters this month (and have a few left, too), but the character I chose for December (although I might have picked Dogged Determination from Michael R. Fletcher’s Dogged, if I prepped this a few days later), Zoë Boutin-Perry from Zoë’s Tale by John Scalzi.
I don’t have a review-ish post to link to, because I’m still trying to decide how I’m going to tackle this series. But I’ll likely end up cannibalizing bits of this post.
Zoë is a delightful, snarky, teenager—sure of herself (bordering on over-confidence, at least from the outside). With her new BFF, she seems unstoppable. Sure, the pair of frightening alien bodyguards add to that. But it wouldn’t take anyone long to realize that their main function is to be unnerving (she won’t let them do anything else).
Left to her own devices, she’d make a splash on whatever colony world she found herself. A lot of that can be attributed to her adoptive parents, and the way they raised, supported, and loved her. But beyond that she’s never been left to her own devices—thanks to her birth father and his research. That ended up putting an entire race happily in her debt.
In Zoë’s mind (and she’s not that wrong), most of what has happened in her life is because of what she is, not who she is. I don’t want to get into the details—let her first-person narration fill you in. It’s being the daughter of Charles Boutin and the adopted daughter of John Perry and Jane Sagan. It’s about being the model sentient being for the entire race of Obin. It’s her turn now to make who she is more important than the circumstances she’s in.
And, boy howdy, does she take advantage of that. In the words of Robert Muldoon about a particular Velociraptor and Oberon about Granuaile—Zoë’s a clever girl. Oh, so clever. And determined. And creative.
And her sense of humor? Love it. That endears her to me enough. The rest is just icing on the captivating cake.
What character would you name for last month?
wittysarcasticbookclub
I am very confused: why does the post have “Captivating Character of February ” in the name? What is my post- holiday haze causing me to miss?
HCNewton
That would be me using the draft of February’s unfinished post for this one without realizing it specified the name of the month 🙂
wittysarcasticbookclub
You’re just keeping your readers on our toes. I feel like it should still be February, not December, so it tracks. Ha ha!
Carol
Thanks for sharing Zoe with us as your Captivating Character of December!
HCNewton
hey, 2/12 ain’t bad, right?
(it’s more like dismal, but it’s better than nothing)
Carol
I APPRECIATE your efforts and contributions and support! Thanks!