Top Ten Tuesday: Top Pops and Bad Dads

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme 


With Father's Day right around the corner, what better time to take a look at some literary dads... the good and the bad.



Juliet's dad in Letters to the Lost
In his own way he was trying so hard to reach Juliet in her grief. And he sacrificed so much to make sure Juliet had the childhood and home life she did. Such unconditional love.

Loren Hale from the Addicted series
Loren Hale as a dad is just... everything. Knowing what he has overcome to get to this point? It's nothing short of remarkable. And I melt a little each time he interacts with his kids.

Park's dad in Eleanor & Park
I remember the first time I read E&P and thought Park's dad was so terrible. Mean, short-tempered, unbending. But he actually understood much more than Park thought he did and he really came around in the end when he was needed most.

Fern's dad and Ambrose's dad in Making Faces
Not one but two fathers in Making Faces were real stand-outs. Both were such gentle men. Fern's father was a pillar of strength for the community and had so much love for the daughter that came late in his life. And Ambrose's father... the man who raised Ambrose as his own. The man whose first concern when his wife was leaving him was only how to keep Ambrose. His love for Ambrose was palpable.

Simon's dad in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
I adored Simon's father. Despite the cringe-worthy jokes and the silly teasing, beneath it all was a father who loved his son for exactly who has was. He had no problem saying he was sorry and letting Simon know how he felt.


King Clarkson from The Selection series
Not only was he a bad king, he was a really bad father.

Jessie's dad in Tell Me Three Things
He wasn't a monster, but I truly disliked Jessie's father for 99% of the book. Yes, he slightly redeemed himself at the very end but up until then he had completely checked out of her life and left her to deal with her grief completely on her own.

Sky's father in Hopeless
No spoilers... but OMG what a monster.

Lily's father in It Ends with Us
A man so violent and abusive that his own daughter had nothing good to say about him at his funeral.

Travis and Dill's fathers in The Serpent King
Of the three fathers in The Serpent King, two of them were total losers. One was physically abusive and one was a religious crackpot in prison on child porn charges. No Father of the Year awards here.


Have you read any of these?
Who is your favorite book dad?  

19 comments

  1. I've read Simon Vs. and I love his whole family! I really need to read Serpent King.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. Simon's family was just the best. I loved them so much! The Serpent King... I had a lot of feelings about that one but at the end I was glad I read it.

      Btw, I just realized I haven't been getting your blog updates recently. :( Not sure what happened to change that but I just went and subscribed again via email. I thought maybe you hadn't been posting... but it was that I just haven't been getting the alerts! :(

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  2. I need to continue the Addicted series because Loren Hale as a dad? I NEED THAT!

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    1. Yes, yes you do! Lo as a dad... I die. It's just... perfect.

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  3. YES Lily's father in It Ends with Us is despicable! and YES I loved the dads of Making Faces too! I guess I loved all about that book :)

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    1. Oh my gosh, he was horrible! And what he did to Atlas... so awful. :(
      But the dads in Making Faces... so sweet.

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  4. Oh I loved Simon's dad too! Was so not a fan of Jessie's dad or of course the dad in It Ends With Us. Great list!

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    1. Yeah, Jessie's dad... I took such issue with him. I know he was suffering as well and was mired in his own grief, but as a parent he didn't have that luxury to just check out.

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  5. I've only read Eleanor & Park on this list and I agree about what you said! Great list!

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    1. Park's dad really came through when it counted. Loved him for that. :)

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  6. When bad YA dads are easier to come up with than good ones. Good job with this list. I was struggling so much, I just gave up.
    Sam @ WLABB

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    1. Isn't that a shame? Where are all the awesome parents in YA?!

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  7. I remember really liking Park's mom and I can't remember why!

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    1. Park's mom was awesome, too. She just didn't know what to make of Eleanor at first but she really came to understand what she was going through.

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  8. I remember really liking Park's mom and I can't remember why!

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  9. There are so many of these I haven't read but I do love it when the fathers rock. Not so much when they are monsters unless it fits the story. Good list!

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    1. I love coming across great dads in YA. For some reason it does even more for me that a good mom does. :)

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  10. What a great list! I especially agree with you about Letters to the Lost.

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. I was unsure of her father for a while but at the end it was obvious what he'd sacrificed for her happiness. Loved that.

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