Book meme! Day 23

[vcmw]

Day 23 - Most annoying character ever

Personally, this is a toss-up between Lancelot and his son, Galahad.
Oh, Lancelot.  Why are you so stupid?  Why, oh, why, can't you come up with some answer to your dilemma that doesn't involve deceit, trickery, and just generally turning in to a phenomenal twit?
So you love your best friend's wife.  It's been known to happen.  Pop quiz:  If I love my best friend's wife I should a) conduct a weird illicit clandestine love affair with her, b) kill myself now, there's no hope, or c) find some nice funny woman, have great sex, and trust that time will help me get over it?
Oh, Galahad... why are you so boring?  Does being a perfect knight have to mean that you are humorless and driven?  Why can't you take some time off, join a tournament, take up the lute, something.  Underwater basket-weaving.  Macrame.

There have been, occasionally, versions of Lancelot written that make me feel bad for him instead of just wanting to smack him.  But even then, I still want to smack him.  Courtly love doesn't make a lot of sense to me, never has.  (Be like Tristan and Iseult - sneak off into the woods and roll around across that naked sword... come up with weird ways to deceive holy icons... at least get some mileage out of your big bad passion.)

I had a huge reading-Arthurian-books phase as a pre-teen.  I washed out several times on Le Morte d'Arthur (it was a bit much for a 7 year old, no matter how motivated) but loved The Once and Future King, The Mists of Avalon, the Stephen R. Lawhead ones (Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon), the Pamela Service ones (Tomorrow's Magic, I believe, is one title, I forget the others), Frankie! , Mary Stewart's The Crystal Cave and sequels... but it was Arthur and Merlin and the courts and stuff I loved.  Lancelot was like the fly in my Arthurian ointment.

7 year olds are not built to understand the attractions of lustful illicit love over friendship and honor.  At least, this 7 year old wasn't.

I was with Katherine in Edward Eager's Half Magic - stake him over an anthill and kick him in the pants-a-lot.

Day 01 - A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just freaking end already (or both!)
Day 02 - A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
Day 03 - The best book you've read in the last 12 months
Day 04 - Your favorite book or series ever
Day 05 - A book or series you hate
Day 06 - Favorite book of your favorite series OR your favorite book of all time
Day 07 - Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Day 08 - A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A book that disappointed you
Day 12 - A book or series of books you’ve watched more than five times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 - Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
Day 15 - Your "comfort" book
Day 16 - Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 - Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 - Favorite beginning scene in a book
Day 19 - Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 - Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 - Most annoying character ever
Day 24 - Best quote from a novel
Day 25 - Any five books from your "to be read" stack
Day 26 - OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 - If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 - First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 - Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 - What book are you reading right now