Tortured characters seem to be a soft spot for many readers, especially those who fall into the “I can fix them” category (we’ve all been there, haven’t we?). It shouldn’t be any surprise that I’ve compiled a short list of my favourite characters for this list.

Ruby Daly, The Darkest Minds

Ruby Daly is perhaps one of my favourite female characters ever, and it is a shame she isn’t as well known as I’d like. Ruby, the protagonist in The Darkest Minds series, has been through a lot since she turned ten. I won’t spoil the premise, but there’s a fair reason for putting her in this category. Ruby is constantly battling herself and how others treat her throughout the series. She has a unique ability that can alienate her from others – friends and enemies alike – and alienate her from herself. She doesn’t get any breaks, and with so much resting on her shoulders, she lives up to the tortured soul category. If you haven’t read The Darkest Minds, I suggest giving it a go to see if it’s something you’d be interested in. It is a YA Dystopian series, so the language and development may be ill-suited for those seeking more mature writing.

Kaz Brekker, Six of Crows

This poor boy is the poster child for tortured souls. His backstory is littered with grief and anger. I don’t know a single part of his characterisation centred around a happy event in his life. He grew up struggling – Kaz and his older brother got swindled, his older brother died, and the whole event traumatised young Kaz. He’s got a limp that cripples him some days, which means he lives with chronic pain, and he has touch aversion as part of his trauma, making physical contact with those closest to him near impossible. Regardless, his little vindictive heart sways even the most stalwart on the morally good side of readers, myself included. It helps that we also love Inej, and their budding relationship is worthy of shipping. Kaz is an icon, as are the rest of the Dregs, and there would be no Six of Crows without him.

Yin Nezha, The Poppy War

Now, this may be a less relatable point for some, but I will fight to the death for Yin Nezha. He was a bit of a bully in The Poppy War, but that was part of his prestigious rich boy characterisation. As soon as he gets humanised with some fights and disagreements, we see Nezha as a tortured soul, especially in the prologue for The Dragon Republic. Nezha has been a tortured soul for a while, and the tragic events that separate him further from his friends across the trilogy make his situation even more heartbreaking. The ending of The Burning God is the nail in the coffin for me because, seriously, how can you say he isn’t the sad shards of a boy at that moment? Yin Nezha deserves more.

Will Herondale, Clockwork Angel (honorary mention – he’s back)

Another poster boy for the tortured soul, Will Herondale could laugh and joke all day, but we all know he is broken inside. His false bravado and the strong facade he puts on make him so pitiful, not to mention the love triangle aspect of his relationships — poor little Will Herondale and poor Jem Carstairs and poor Tessa Gray. Honestly, I could put all three of them down here, and it would be acceptable, so take Will’s inclusion as an inclusion for the trio. So many moments in The Infernal Devices trilogy make my heart ache for these three, and all I want to do is jump into the books and give them blankets, hugs, hot teas and an excuse to leave all the chaos outside for a while.

Let me know who your favourite tortured souls are in the comments!