In honour of Mother’s Day we’ve put together a list of 5 of the best mothers in modern popular literature:
Mrs Molly Weasley from the Harry Potter series: The loving mother hen of the Weasley clan is the epitome of the word “mum”. Warm and welcoming, she envelopes the orphaned Harry into her brood with open arms (and a fluffy knitted sweater). Both sweet and stern in equal measure, she is not above sending a howler to Hogwarts if her children set a foot out of line, or fiercely defending them from evil.
Catelyn Stark from the Song of Ice and Fire series: Probably the most controversial mother in our list, Catelyn Stark is a strong, independent mother with a will of iron. She would do anything for her children, and frequently does throughout the series, although she cannot bring herself to love Ned’s bastard son, Jon Snow. In turns mother, wife, politician and warrior, this is one mum you don’t want to make an enemy of.
Frannie Lancaster from John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars: Our hearts go out to Frannie, who has to deal with the heart-rending knowledge that her child is going to die. Strong in the face of over-whelming grief, she encourages Hazel to make the most of the time she has left, and (eventually) allows her the freedom to do it.
Natalie Prior from the Divergent trilogy: We wouldn’t want to meet Tris’ mum in a dark alley! Brave and calm in the face of danger Natalie will do anything to protect her children, even if it risks her own life. She’s supportive of her children and their choices, and constantly makes sure they know how much she loves them.
Ma from Emma Donoghue’s Room: The bond between a mother and her child shine in this novel. Despite the limitations of her environment, Ma never fails to ensure that Jack has the very best upbringing she can provide. Her resourcefulness, creativity and strength are beyond compare.
Got a fictional mother you’d like to see in the list? Let us know in the comments.