Best Complex Characters Quotes | Short & Famous Sayings

“The one he loved wasn't the angel—it was the real Mahiru, the side of her she only let him see. He loved the Mahiru who could be infuriatingly stubborn and sarcastic but was also tenderhearted and shy, the one who tended to indulge him, who had a penchant for feeling lonely, and who sometimes looked so fragile he worried she might break into a million pieces.”

Love Romance Romantic Intimacy Gentle Vulnerability Poignant Slice Of Life Light Novel Complex Characters

Book:The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, Vol. 3

Source: The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, Vol. 3

“The Lord Steward summoned Lord James to his study. Joining them were Lord Nimrod, the Consort, and Judith, who stood beside the Consort and stared out the window. A winter sunrise streaked the sky with pink-and-gold light. Judith wrestled with her anguish. This is probably Helen’s last sunrise, and she’s no doubt in some stinking hole and cannot even see it. Lord James paid little heed to anyone else. All he saw was Miriam’s face, her green eyes harsh with accusation. All he heard were her pleas. Do something, James. Save her. Don’t let her die. Thinking he had everyone’s attention, Shinar got to the point. “It seems you have a daughter, James.”

Fear Survival Complex Characters Dark Forces Political Fantasy Forbidden Truths Prophecy Fulfillment Green Gem Magical Settings Mythological Elements

Book:Stoneslayer: Book One Scandal

Source: Stoneslayer: Book One Scandal

“But she knew herself. Her body longed to feel pain, to exact it, but her mind feared it too much to allow herself the freedom to. Besides, her knuckles were already blistering from the beating they’d been taking for the better part of an hour. Without the gloves she’d have shattered a hand by now. Wouldn’t that be just like her. To fear pain so and yet stumble into it at every opportunity.”

Pain Fear Fear Of Failure Self Loathing Characterization Complex Characters Emotional Turmoil Character Study Punching Bag

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“He (Elliot) sort of reminds me of Rosie – or does Rosie remind me of him – whichever. They’re both dogs. I mean that nicely. I love dogs, wagging their tails when they see you, desperate to please. He’s like that.”

Human Nature Complex Characters Character Insight Emotional Manipulation Dark Humor Edge Observational Writing Psychological Reads Relationships In Fiction Soft But Sharp

Book:Blessing

Source: Blessing

“She’d have liked to say that she hadn’t wanted to hurt anyone, but that wouldn’t have been quite truthful. She’d wanted to hurt everyone, to make them feel what she felt, or even just not to be alone in it. In the wake of her loss, she’d longed to throw away everything she’d worked for, just to undo the agonizing truth that she could not accept.”

Grief Loneliness Sorrow Grief And Loss Complex Characters Lashing Out Feminine Rage Survivors Guilt

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“A brilliant sunset of pink and orange painted the sky to his right as they escaped from the castle grounds. He noticed the absence of the deep red of blood in the lovely sky’s scenery. His familiarity with the color was unnatural. It was found nowhere else in nature, almost as if it had never been meant for humans to see. To his left, the impending dusk loomed, and Satya found comfort in its familiar embrace.”

Blood Sunset Self Reflection Self Loathing Morally Grey Complex Characters Morally Grey Mmc Morally Gray Morally Grey Man

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“One more death would make no difference. He was already damned. It was for his queen. It was for his queen.”

Warrior Damnation Protector Self Loathing Bodyguard Morally Grey Complex Characters Damned Character Study Morally Bankrupt

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“Though he was still young, the burden of succession weighed heavy on his shoulders—the lonely existence of a brilliant mind among the foolish. And in that moment, in a carefully calculated show of blatant insubordination, Isla Palik brought hope to the Tactician.”

Hope Loneliness Succession Strategist Hope For The Future Complex Characters Brilliant Minds Character Study Lonely At The Top Tacticians

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“Just last week all was calm. I was no one and nothing and I think that’s how things were meant to be. And now . . . I don’t know how to do this.”

Character Development Self Doubt Complex Characters Reluctant Hero Unlikely Heroes Heros Journey Admitting Defeat Nontraditional Main Character

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“There was no state of being “fixed,” Doha had learned. There was just the period between bouts of this requires attention immediately. There were certainly wrong ways to do things, but there was no one right way. If functionality was the goal, well, there were multiple routes to it, and Doha relished the freedom in that.”

Fixed Engineering Right Way Right Answers Characterization Complex Characters Multiple Right Answers

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“The septons preach about the seven hells. What do they know? Only a man who's been burned knows what hell is truly like" ...She was sad for him, she realized. Somehow, the fear had gone away. The silence went on and on, so long that she began to grow afraid once more, but she was afraid for him now, not for herself. She found his massive shoulder with her hand. "He was no true knight," she whispered to him.”

Game Of Thrones Complex Characters Sansa Stark The Hound Sandor Clegane

Book:A Game of Thrones

Source: A Game of Thrones

“And yet, in all of his efforts to understand the Mirror, his great mystery, his attempts to prove logic had failed again and again. Tests and theories and science—these things were his bread and butter—and they were meaningless now, in the face of mystery.”

Science Mystery Scientific Method Character Development Engineer Complex Characters Faith And Science Science And Magic

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“Why was it that she’d never been able to find kinship with someone her age? Why was it that the few ties she fashioned always ended up coming undone by her own doing?”

Friendship Loneliness Friendship Quotes Loner Characterization Female Friendship Complex Characters Character Study Friends To Enemies

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“Doha wasn’t a very good friend. But he was a good person. And he was a great engineer.”

Friendship Hero Best Friends Good Person Engineer Main Character Complex Characters Bad Friend Unlikely Heroes Imperfect People

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“What they think doesn’t matter.” “But it does,” Ghara moaned. “It matters to me. They’re our friends, Isla. Friends. Have you had those before?” “I have you,” Isla replied simply. “You are the only friend I need.” Ghara shook her head sadly. “Not me.”

Friendship Friends Best Friends Character Development Making Friends Female Friendship Complex Characters Female Friends

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“These people couldn’t possibly doubt or worry or sulk. These people couldn’t possibly feel insecurity and shame and pain. These people liked to have fun, and so they did. Was it really that simple? Could she too reduce herself to such shallow waters and escape the depths that plagued her active mind? She was so intoxicated by the thought, that she’d convinced herself she could be like them.”

Friendship Anxiety Character Development Self Loathing Self Doubt Complex Characters Character Study Negative Self Talk Anxious People

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“In any friendship or partnership, there is always one that shines just a little bit brighter than the other. He doesn’t mean to, that’s just who he is. And I love him for it. I’ve learned this the hard way, that you can either resent a star for shining brighter, or sit back and enjoy the show.”

Friendship Friends Shine Your Light Characterization Female Friendship Introvert Or Extrovert Complex Characters Female Friends Shine Brighter Introvert Extrovert

Book:The Paragon

Source: The Paragon

“I need to react to a script, to feel strongly about it in some way. And I need it to be a complex character for sure. And also, I think a lot about what kind of audience there is for the film, what they're looking for and ways to connect with them in the playing of a character.”

Thinking Way Needs Feels Kind Character Film Audience Complexes Scripts Complex Characters

Author:Jeremy Renner

“It's something that people relate to - and I hope my kid doesn't relate to - but there's a level of believability in playing complex characters. You know, Christopher Walken has done some hilarious comedies, De Niro. There's great room for complexity and darkness to do well in comedies.”

People Knows Wells Done Character Kids Levels Rooms Darkness Comedy Complexes Relate Complexity De Niro Complex Characters Believability

Author:Jeremy Sisto

“It's quite hard to find a ballsy or complex character. So the roles I've taken are those. Lot's of people put me in the dark category.”

People Hard Character Dark Roles Taken Complexes Categories Complex Characters

Author:Eva Green

“As for dream roles, they usually just speak to you. I just crave complex characters.”

Character Dream Speak Roles Complexes Crave Complex Characters

Author:Kirsten Prout

“The prince in The Leopard was a very complex character - at times autocratic, rude, strong - at times romantic, good, understanding - and sometimes even stupid, and above all, mysterious.”

Sometimes Character Strong Understanding Stupid Complexes Mysterious Rude Leopards Complex Characters Good Understanding

Author:Luchino Visconti

“I love complex characters - strong females who are vulnerable but have a life and soul. That's what I'm drawn to and what I enjoy most.”

Soul Character Strong Enjoy Female Complexes Vulnerable Strong Female Complex Characters

Author:Ruth Wilson

“Seldom does a storytelling talent come along as potent and fully mature as Mike Brotherton. His complex characters take you on a voyage that is both fiercely credible and astonishingly imaginative. This is Science Fiction.”

Doe Character Fiction Talent Science Fiction Complexes Storytelling Mature Imaginative Mike Voyages Credible Complex Characters

Author:David Brin

“I like to play complex characters and the duality, and trying to reach for the light, it's more interesting really. I've gotten to play so many types of guys and I just try to find the humanity in each one of them the best I can.”

Trying I Can Play Character Light Guy Humanity Interesting Type Complexes Duality Type Of Guy Complex Characters

Author:Forest Whitaker

“We're interested in complex characters and he's a complex character, [J. Edgar] Hoover. I like these types of dramas. I've made a few of them and I'm also interested in power structures so it just has elements that fascinate me, and the more you learn about Hoover, the more polarizing you realize he is.”

Made Character Realizing Type Drama Elements Structure Complexes Hoover Complex Characters Polarizing J Edgar Hoover

Author:Brian Grazer

“The degree of talent, the size of the gift, is immaterial. All artists must listen, but not all hear great symphonies, see wide canvasses, conceive complex, character-filled novels. No matter, the creative act is the same, and it is an act of faith.”

Matter Character Artist Novel Creative Talent Degrees Filled Complexes Size Wide Symphony Complex Characters

Author:Madeleine L'Engle

“Sometimes I make my life a living hell by writing complex stories with complex characters. But I love it.”

Writing Sometimes Character Stories Hell Complexes Complex Characters

Author:Kevin James

“Look, I play all these tough guys and thugs and strong, complex characters. In real life, I am a cringing, neurotic Jewish mess. Can't I for once play that on stage?”

Looks Real Play Character Guy Strong Stage Tough Complexes Real Life Mess Neurotic Thug Tough Guy Complex Characters

Author:Jason Isaacs

“I enjoy bringing humanity to complex characters.”

Character Humanity Enjoy Complexes Complex Characters

Author:Isaiah Washington

“'Heroine' is about a declining and imbalanced superstar - a very brave and bold role. I wanted to test whether I could carry a role like this. I have given 200 per cent to this role. She's a very complex character, very aggressive, manipulative and bold, yet she's very fragile.”

Character Wanted Given Roles Tests Brave Complexes Aggressive Fragile Cents Superstar Heroines Manipulative Complex Characters

Author:Kareena Kapoor

“Goering was a contradictory [and] complex ... character.”

Character Complexes Contradictory Complex Characters Goering

Author:Richard Overy

“I suppose that the sympathetic/unsympathetic debate about characters sometimes feels to me like a misstatement of purpose. I always think of truly complex characters are falling between the cracks in that debate.”

Thinking Feels Sometimes Character Purpose Fall Complexes Debate Cracks Sympathetic Complex Characters Unsympathetic

Author:Rick Moody

“I know I'm not normal in this, but [ Severus ] Snape is absolutely my favorite character in the Harry Potter books. He is completely mortal - good, bad, strong, weak, motivated by hatred, motivated by love. A gorgeous, compelling, complex character who definitely earns a spot at my table.”

Knows Book Character Strong Normal Weak Hatred Tables Complexes My Favorite Spots Mortals Motivated Compelling Harry Potter Gorgeous Potters Snape Complex Characters Favorite Characters

Author:Megan Chance

“For me, the lives of children and teens are interesting - they are always changing. There's just so much to sort through. All of this makes for good plots and complex characters.”

Children Character Interesting Complexes Plot Teens Complex Characters

Author:Renee Watson

“As Faulkner says, all of us have the capacity in us for great good and for great evil, for love but also for hate. I wanted to write those kinds of complex character in a fantasy, and not just have all the good people get together to fight the bad guy.”

People Writing Kind Character Wanted Together Guy Hate Fighting Evil Fantasy Capacity Complexes Good People Bad Guys Get Together Complex Characters

Author:George R. R. Martin

“The idea that you might end up in a job that doesn't allow you to be who you are, over the course of a lifetime, is still one of the most chilling nightmares to me. It's a good metaphor for fears I have about losing my soul in some accidental, mundane way. So, to me, these jobs that my characters have are very loaded. They immediately suggest a complex character to me, a woman who is, say, a secretary, but also a vigilante on behalf of her own soul.”

“In The Care and Management of Lies the wonderfully talented Winspear writes irresistibly about the First World War, both in the trenches of France and the fields of England. Her richly complex characters walk right off the page and into our imaginations, as we fight with them, farm with them, cook with them. I devoured this dazzling novel.”

“I was a little hippie on a world backpacking adventure, and suddenly I became a vampire princess. I still find it hard to believe that it is real. I feel ludicrously lucky to have been chosen to play such a compassionate, complex character for my first film, and I am so grateful to all the beautiful people who made it possible for me. It was a dream come true. I felt like Cinderella every day, going to work with this amazing team on this dream script. If Cinderella were a vampire.”

“A writing teacher once told me that the most successful movies and books were simple plots about complex characters. You should be able to articulate your concept in a couple of lines.”

Should Writing Book Character Able Lines Simple Successful Teacher Couple Concepts Complexes Plot Complex Characters

Author:James Scott Bell

“The opportunities I've had to play really complex characters - which haven't been a lot, but some - you never get over them.”

Play Character Opportunity Havens Complexes Get Over Complex Characters

Author:Sally Field

“My Family and Other Saints echoes Gerald Durrell's classic memoir, My Family and Other Animals, not only in its title, but in its wonderful humor and lyrical prose. Like Durrell, Kirin Narayan takes the reader to a fascinating world far from our own, and brings to life its myriad sights, sounds and smells, while revealing the profound cultural beliefs of its people. India is just the most complex character among a cast of characters-family members, gurus, hippies, and neighbors-all of whom I now count as old friends.”

“Quite often my narrator or protagonist may be a man, but I'm not sure he's the more interesting character, or if the more complex character isn't the woman.”

Ifs Men May Character Interesting Complexes Not Sure Be A Man Protagonists Interesting Characters Narrators Complex Characters

Author:Ann Beattie

“Sharpe is my favorite role of all that I've played. He's a very complex character. He knows that he's a good soldier, but he will always have to fight the prejudice of aristocratic officers because of his rough working-class upbringing. On the battlefield, he's full of confidence - but off it, he is unsure, a bit shy and ill at ease.”