Nightbooks

Alex is the novel’s dynamic protagonist, a young boy who believes he is “weird” and different from all other children. He compares himself somewhat unfavorably with his “meathead” brother, John, whom he believes is far braver than himself. However, throughout the course of the text, Alex shows great courage and vulnerability, eventually learning that everyone is weird in their own way and that he is no more strange than anyone else. He comes to believe that his penchant for writing creepy stories doesn’t make him creepy or evil, despite what Natacha says.

Although Alex initially believes that his stories are “too scary,” he is devastated when the shredder destroys his nightbooks, helping him to realize how integral storytelling is to his identity. The fact that he craves positive feedback, even from the witch who abducts him, suggests how isolated he is, and how secret he has kept his stories because of this shame. It is Yasmin who helps Alex understand how his stories can actually save his life, by comparing him to Scheherazade (See: Background).

Like many good storytellers, Alex has a keen eye for character, and he realizes there is something fake about Natacha early on.