There is a cool little meme (although I despise the word meme - hey, let’s call it ‘inspired daydreaming’) that BubandPie has done, which I believe Veronica had the light bulb idea for. I’ve altered my interpretation slightly, because what I’ve found attractive in my Literature heroes has changed somewhat over the years. Follow my maturation (if you could call it that!) if you dare…

Okay, My Most Kissable Literature Hunks….

….when I was 14 years old.

Ralph from Lord of the Flies.

The good one; the most humane one; heck, he even stood by Piggy, when I, if I was island-stuck, would’ve probably been roasting his little tush for tea.

…when I was 15 years old.

Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights

Here begins my fondness for self-destructive, possibly sociopathic individuals, who must, when living in the moors, have wonderfully tousled hair.

….when I was 16 years old.

Hamlet from Hamlet

Ophelia knew what she was doing when she boinked him. I would’ve too - come madness or not!

….when I was 17 years old.

Erik from Phantom of the Opera.

Not many people know The Phantom’s real name is Erik. Not so sexy anymore, is he? But we all know deep down, scarred face or no, he must be pretty sensual, what with all the muso-skills he has, and lasso tricks. When I finally finished this book in the backseat driving down to Gosford one holidays, I believed that if I was Christine I would never, ever have abandoned him for poncy Raoul.

….when I was 18 years old.

Edward Rochester from Jane Eyre.

One of my most powerful memories of first year university is this: settling down under a Eucalyptus tree, cracking open a brand new copy of Jane Eyre, underneath my dormitory window, only to have my peace ruined by my (male) dormitory peers drinking and swearing loudly from the window above me. What crass, uncouth youths. Rochester could’ve swept me up anytime. It would’ve been bliss.

….when I was 19 years old.

Mellors from Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

Erica Jong once said that LCL was all about Lawrence’s orgasm, and not of a female’s. While I quite agree, still, I can’t look at a chicken coop in quite the same way ever again!

….when I was 20 years old.

Ambrosio from The Monk.

Villains often are depicted in texts as having ‘aquiline noses’. Why the discrimination towards aquiline noses? I should set up a society against it. Dracula had an aquiline nose too. Still, there’s something quite naughty about a deviant monk (think Angelo in Measure for Measure).

….when I was 25 years old.

Frederic Henry from A Farewell to Arms

Hmm…watching his lover die, after they’d run from the nasty forces of WWI Europe? Divine Tragedy. Plus, I was pregnant and didn’t know it with Keira when I read this, so my hormones might be playing with the memory of the text….

…when I was 26 years old.

Henry from The Time Travellers Wife.

A critically underrated book (in my opinion) this guy literally crossed time for his girl. That’s sexy.

….at any old age, who am I kidding, I don’t care, even when I’m old and wrinkly.

Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice.

Okay! So I’m predictable. I don’t care.

Tell me yours now!