24. A book with a main character who is a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, or a criminal

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

It's been 40 years since the iconic movie The Breakfast Club was released, cementing some character tropes into the mainstream - the brain, the athlete, the basket case, the princess, and the criminal.

While the terms may not be the ones we would use today, these characters are often found in literature. This week, you're finding a book that contains that contains a protagonist that could fit into one of these categories.

Brain: a character who is smart, nerdy, or a high-achiever
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

Athlete: a character who practices a sport, a jock
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

Basket Case: a character who has a hard time functioning in society, maybe they're a nervous wreck, or overwhelmed or struggling with their mental health. Can also be a socially withdrawn or alienated character
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

Princess: can be a literal princess in a fantasy or memoir or a character who is popular, spoiled, or from a privileged background
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...

Criminal: a rebellious character or one who engages in criminal activity
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

ATY Listopia: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

What are you reading for this prompt, and how does it fit?

[Dixie]

My plan is
Brain: The Maniac
Athlete: The Art of Fielding
Basket Case: Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Princess: The Ordinary Princess
Criminal: Dead Souls

[NancyJ]

Dixie wrote: "My plan is
Brain: The Maniac
Athlete: The Art of Fielding
Basket Case: Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Princess: [book:The Ordinary Princess|6..."

Those sound great. I have The Maniac planned for this one too. I’m tempted to read it in 2024 though.

[Pam]

My plan is
Brain: Alan Turing: The Enigma
Athlete: Sunny

[Donna]

Either Victoria The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire by Julia Baird or An American Princess: The Many Lives of Allene Tew by Annejet van der Zijl - both nonfiction bios.

[LeahS]

Donna wrote: "Either Victoria The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire ..."

I have that scheduled for title with all the vowels in it...

[Charlsa]

I saw Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris on the [ATY 2025] Breakfast Club Character list. I've heard about the Sookie Stackhouse series but never read them.

Can anyone tell me if it fits this prompt in a strict or broader sense? I'm wondering if I should switch it out for something else.
Does it fit the brain, the athlete, the basket case, the princess, and the criminal? Any counsel will be appreciated.

I also see that some of you are going to BIO this prompt. I never even thought of that. I will probably do the same and will now spend time finding books for each option rather than working on errands and getting ready for work tomorrow.

Brain: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Athlete: Pitch by Pitch: My View of One Unforgettable Game by Bob Gibson

Basket case: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Princess: Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor

Criminal: Taking a twist with this one. John Grisham just wrote a book about people who were wrongfully convicted. So, I'll read about people labeled as criminals who were, in fact, innocent.

Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictionsby John Grisham

[Jillian]

Charlsa wrote: "I saw Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris on the [ATY 2025] Breakfast Club Character list. I've heard about the Sookie Stackhouse series but never read them.

Can anyo..."

Brain- Sookie is a telepath.

[Charlsa]

Jillian wrote: "Charlsa wrote: "I saw Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris on the [ATY 2025] Breakfast Club Character list. I've heard about the Sookie Stackhouse series but never read ..."

Thank you!

[Kathy]

I may do all five characters. Here are three:

Headshot - Rita Bullwinkel (athlete)
Les Misérables - Victor Hugo (criminal)
The Hollow of Fear (Lady Sherlock #3) - Sherry Thomas (brain)

[Dubhease]

I might read Broken

[Marie]

Going for my all-time favourite Princess, also a Brain and a Criminal (in the rebel way) - The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher.

[Angie]

I'm planning to do One of Us Is Lying. It's basically The Breakfast Club with a mystery thrown in.

[Misty]

Marie wrote: "Going for my all-time favourite Princess, also a Brain and a Criminal (in the rebel way) - The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher."

Oooo - that one is on my list as well. Thanks for the idea! I might have to also plug that one in for this prompt.

[Denise]

I’m reading: America Fantastica

[Sarah Stewart]

I read The Favorites, by Layne Fargo.

[Mel]

I'm currently reading Don't Let the Forest In for this one, since the main character is very much a basket case; he's dealing with a lot of mental health issues and is just generally a nervous wreck over everything going on narratively.

[Misty]

I ended up reading The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa for this prompt, and it was a fabulous book. I was crying at the end. The professor is definitely a "brain."

[Rosemary]

I think "basket case" is a horrible way to describe physically or mentally disabled people! I see it was used in some old movie, but if a racial slur was proposed from an old movie I'm sure it would not be voted in. I voted against this but obviously others don't think how we talk about disability matters!

[Pam]

Rosemary wrote: "I think "basket case" is a horrible way to describe physically or mentally disabled people! I see it was used in some old movie, but if a racial slur was proposed from an old movie I'm sure it woul..."

Rosemary - i agree with you and didn't vote for this prompt for that reason also.

I'm listening to Merlin's Tour of the Universe: A Traveler's Guide to Blue Moons and Black Holes, Mars, Stars, and Everything Far by Neil deGrasse Tyson. I'm considering Merlin a brain since he answers questions about the universe.

[Alistair]

Rosemary wrote: "I think "basket case" is a horrible way to describe physically or mentally disabled people! I see it was used in some old movie, but if a racial slur was proposed from an old movie I'm sure it woul..."

Where are you getting disability? I'm seriously asking. What's listed above is:

"Basket Case: a character who has a hard time functioning in society, maybe they're a nervous wreck, or overwhelmed or struggling with their mental health. Can also be a socially withdrawn or alienated character"

I'd argue almost everyone struggles with their mental health at some point, if that's what you're referring to. I see no reference to physical disability.

Is it some part of "basket case" that I'm not getting? I looked it up on the Merriam-Webster website and it said the definition was "a person who is functionally incapacitated from extreme nervousness, emotional distress, mental or physical overwork, etc." which sounds like almost every protagonist in their darkest hour moment.

If it's some sort of slur against the disabled, I'm heartily against it, but I don't see how it is one. Maybe I'm not getting it?

[Alison]

The term "basket case" is typically derogatory, as used to describe someone so mentally f***ed up that they don't function in society. This prompt is referencing the move The Breakfast Club (1985), a time when mental health wasn't taken very seriously. The "basket case" in the group, Allison, never has a formal diagnosis (or diagnoses) stated, but shows symptoms of depression, autism, and possibly bipolar disorder. She also calls herself a nymphomaniac and says that her therapist "nailed" her, so she has clearly suffered sexual abuse, if not other types of trauma. Calling her a "basket case" is reductive and implies that hers is a hopeless case. In today's world, of course we know this isn't true: Allison could be a well-adjusted member of society with proper treatment by psychiatrists and therapists who aren't predators, and possibly a visit by Child Protective Services to evaluate her home life (it is also implied in the movie that hers isn't great, but there are no details about her relationship with her parents).

[Dubhease]

While the movie did have some terrible things in it, like the bullying and sexual harassment, the statement that this prompt draws from was one of the better parts - the getting past stereotypes. They were supposed to write an essay about who they think they are. Instead they collectively wrote:

Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us - in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club.

Alison wasn't a basket case - not any more than the rest of them. And she made all the stories she told them that day up.

[Alistair]

Alison wrote: "The term "basket case" is typically derogatory, as used to describe someone so mentally f***ed up that they don't function in society. This prompt is referencing the move The Breakfast Club (1985),..."

Well, thank you for explaining! And thank you to Dubhease for the further explanation. The moral that I'm getting here is that the eighties were weird and some things aged unevenly. I'm also getting that some things are a matter of context. One of the worst insults that was ever levied at me was "Froot Loop" because the person saying it meant it as "someone so f***ed up that they don't function in society." Being me, I didn't catch on until I was eating Froot Loops in front of him and said, cheerfully: "Look! A Froot Loop eating Froot Loops." The other person in the room glared at him; he flinched; and I realized. I guess "basket case" falls under that same derogatory word umbrella where you can't see it from the dictionary definitions.

I may just take the prompts by what's written at the top and not delve any further into this. I was looking at "brain" or "princess" for my book anyway.

[Marie (UK)]

I read Guilty by Definition the MC's working in the Clarendon English Dictionary is a "Brain"

[Odette]

I am thinking of reading for 'an athlete' character:
The Favourites by Layne Fargo
It is set in the world of competitive figure ice skating.

[Beth]

Dubhease wrote: "While the movie did have some terrible things in it, like the bullying and sexual harassment, the statement that this prompt draws from was one of the better parts - the getting past stereotypes. T..."

John Hughes movies, on the whole, have not aged well. But I would agree with Dubhease's assessment here.

I had never considered "basket-case" a slur and have often used it to describe myself when I'm having trouble dealing with the everyday stresses of life. But it's good to know that it is considered such by some. Like so many things, I'll work on removing it from my vocabulary.

[Joy D]

For this prompt, I read:
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite - 3* - My Review
One of the main characters is both a criminal and a princess. The other is just a criminal.

[Michelle E]

I will read A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. One of the characters is a Basket Case.

[Rosemary]

Alistair wrote: "Rosemary wrote: "I think "basket case" is a horrible way to describe physically or mentally disabled people! I see it was used in some old movie, but if a racial slur was proposed from an old movie..."

Sorry, I didn't see this before. "Basket case" was originally a description of men who had lost their limbs in a world war. That is why I associate it with physically disabled people. I think it was then extended (as a slur) to men who were shell-shocked, which we would call PTSD these days, so the mental illness aspect.

I don't know what meaning it was given in the movie you mention. Maybe it is now acceptable in the USA. I guess it has different meanings in different cultures, as many potential slurs do. That doesn't mean you have to be uncomfortable with using it, if you see it as an okay thing to say about somebody. I just wanted to make the point that some people (including me) don't think it is okay.

I guess I missed the opportunity to object to this prompt in the planning - I don't remember this one so maybe I was not paying as much attention as I should.

[NancyJ]

Brain

I read The Maniac by Benjamin Labatut. I liked it. Brilliant scientists and their crazy lives. The manhattan project, early computers, and artificial intelligence. The personalities come through well on the audio.

[Kathy]

Criminal
I read The Postman Always Rings Twice, which is a noir classic mystery.

[Denise]

Almost all of these characters are criminals or at least morally reprehensible:
America Fantastica Tim O'Brien

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

I did The God of the Woods-- it hits all except the jock.

[Robin H-R]

I read:
Sugar Pop Moon by John Florio

This one has them all...

REJECT: A book with a main character who is an outsider

Finished: 04/18/2025
Rating: 4 stars

From Goodreads:
Jersey Leo is the quintessential outsider- an albino of mixed race. Known as "Snowball" on the street, he makes a living as the bartender at a mob-run speakeasy in Prohibition-era Hell's Kitchen.

First in a series. Liked the characters. Fast paced and well written.

[Wendy]

I read What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen by Kate Fagan about a talented collegiate athlete who struggled with mental illness.

My full review can be found here.

[Claire]

I read The Agathas, and it fits. Out of the two main protagonists, one is a brain and one is a princess, though she had a fall from grace. It was an easy read. There are also characters that fit all of the other tropes, though they are more minor.

[Phil]

I read Blockade Billy by Stephen King for this topic as the central character is a baseball player(Read May 4th; 4*)

[Sherri]

I read The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science. 5 stars

[Severina]

I think Andy Carpenter counts as a brain, so I'm using another of the AC series, Hounded by David Rosenfelt, for this prompt

[Samantha]

I read Atmosphere, main character is a brain.

[LeahS]

I read The Mould In Dr Florey's Coat: The Remarkable True Story of the Penicillin Miracle, the story of the people who made Fleming's initial discovery into a life-saving drug, for 'brain/brains'.

The rest of the prompt was covered by You Will Know Me, a good read which brought back some of the mothers at my daughter's gym competitions......

[Pam]

I'm reading A Confederacy of Dunces. I feel like the main character could be considered a basket case. He's certainly a bizarre character that doesn't seem to fit into society.

[Tracy]

I read More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova.

I tried to be careful with the use of 'basketcase' to describe the main character here. I don't believe that SHE is a basketcase, but her behaviour during episodes related to having Bipolar Disorder can certainly look like that.

This is my second novel by Lisa Genova (having also read her one nonfiction book), and I still think that she does a great job of inviting the reader into the mind of people who have various mental health challenges. I will continue to read her books in the future.