Favourite fictional female character?

[Tanya]

I remember seeing a favourite fictional male character discussion earlier on.
What's your favourite female? And why?

[Emma Weir]

Anyone a fan of the Sword of Truth series?
I'm only on about book 5 but I can't read them during term time because I tend to read them nonstop for about 2 days straight (and I mean during mealtimes, in lectures, on the train, whilst walking home and in the shower sometimes) and don't get any work done.

Well my favouritefemale character in that is Kahlen Amnell. Unfortunately you cant say anything about her at all without massively spoiling the books and I have megahatred for spoilers.
But seriously READ THESE BOOKS IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, they are beyond amazing. Don't start them if you have exams or homework or anything to do though because if you're anything like me you will fail/get in trouble/just generally not get things done and they are large books.
Book One: Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind
 
Looking back at this review I think it should probably go in favourite books or something but meh. 

[Ellen Lee]

Hm. This is a really tough question, and my answer might change along with time and more thinking, but the only two people I can think of right now are Hazel Grace from TFiOS and Ginger Foutley form As Told By Ginger. For Hazel, I like her a lot because she's smart, honest, true, funny and thoughtful. She is all of these, but she's not a Mary Sue type of character. Ginger I like for pretty much the same reason, with the addition that I've loved As Told By Ginger for so many years now and it just feels like a really important part of my life. 

[Lindsey Jordan]

Katniss or Hermionie or Annabeth or Thalia. I like strong, smart, independent female characters.

[CD]

I like strong, smart, independent female characters.

^^^^^ Yes and preferably with no comment on their sexuality or political and moral views.  Unless it's actually relevant to the story.  I particularly like it when they're not being rescued or have to fall in love with someone, and this 'fulfills' them in some way.  They just "are".

[Maggie Bland]

For some reason, even though the book is a bit childish, the fictional female character I always find myself comparing myself and others too.. is Stargirl. She showed the world its more than okay to be different and that in the face of adversity, love and kindness really do overcome all.

[Jvt01]

I love that book! One of my favorites in middle school...great message, great story.

[Cecilia Ek]

I have a lot of female characters that i love but I especially love Éowyn from lotr because she's quite different from the stereotypical female character. I just find her a very intriguing character.

[rc]

I'm gonna list out memorable female characters from books I've read as well as some attributes. I don't have an answer to the question as of starting this list.

Lisbeth Salander (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) is such a tough, troubled, intense character. She's lived an incredibly difficult life and that makes her character very complex and wildly interesting. She's a bit too harsh (understandably) and a bit too dismissive of others (again, it makes sense completely), but she's still fascinating and tragic in a myriad of well-written ways (though I thought the book was merely a good read, not a great one).

Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice) is so wonderfully complete, even if the book is largely about one short-coming of prejudice she enacts. It's incredible that in the context of this book, and in the context of the world Jane Austen lived in, that a character like her exists, so confident and calm and herself. She's a great character and I love the constant play throughout the book between her and Mr. Darcy.

Hermione Granger (Harry Potter), to quote Mark, is "the best friend you could have." And it's true: she's understanding, knowledgeable, brave, spirited, cunning, and wonderfully sweet when she wants to be. Brightest witch of her age, I'll tell you. I could go on about HP women, from McGonagall to Luna to Ginny, but I chose my favorite.

Dagny Taggart (Atlas Shrugged) is a wonderful character filled with confidence and a sense of personal virtue. She's has an imposing prowess and an unstoppable will, a love for life and a passion to lead it. As I try to remember the book more, I find that she's too similar to her male companions in the book; that isn't to say that they shouldn't share qualities, but rather that all of the group are too much alike. It makes for a lack of individuality. I might be misremembering things, though; it's been a while. Still, wonderful person, that Dagny.

After all this thought, I love Alaska Young the most. She's smart and sassy, tender and tumultuous, fun and philosophical, and she feels like a mixture of every girl and woman I ever loved or held as a close friend or admired, and not because of the adolescent fancies that so owned my judgment, but because of all the wonderful bits of personality that conquered me then and linger on now. It's easy to look back on some crush or companion and see the cute particles that were your desire, whether for friendship or more, but in Alaska I see all the reasons I'd want to remain close to someone, and that's a wonderful quality to produce from pen and paper alone. People don't burst out of pages like that very often, and I feel endlessly grateful to have met her.

[Kris]

The Princess (can't remember her real name.... Ira? Irin?) from The Princess and the Goblins/The Princess and Curdie.

When I was little, these were my favorite books in the world. 

[Kira]

I'm going to say all the characters from The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls, because I love them all and the book is just so delightfully quirky. 

And Molly Hooper. Because Molly Hooper. And Kaylee and River from Firefly.

[Natalie]

Daine Sarrasri from The Immortals series by Tamora Pierce :)

[Jvt01]

Petra and Valentine from "Ender's Game"